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Irene’s Cornish Hens with Tarragon and Calvados





Yields
Makes 4 servings

In France, Barbara Bennett was treated to a home-cooked meal by her Parisian friend Irene. The main course was Cornish hens in a creamy tarragon sauce. It's a dish Bennett has duplicated many times since--with fond memories.

 2 Cornish hens (1 3/4 to 2 lb. each)
 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
 1/3 cup chopped shallots
 1/2 cup calvados or dry white wine
 1/3 cup fat-skimmed chicken broth
 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried tarragon
 3/4 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
  Tarragon or parsley sprigs
  Salt and white pepper
Step 1
1

With poultry shears or a knife, cut each hen in half lengthwise through breastbone and backbone. Rinse and pat dry. Reserve giblets for other uses.

Step 2
2

Set halves, skin side up, in a 9- by 13-inch pan. Brush skin with melted butter, then sprinkle with the shallots.

Step 3
3

Bake in a 425° oven until meat at thigh bone is no longer pink (cut to test), about 40 minutes (35 minutes in a convection oven). Transfer hens to a platter; keep warm.

Step 4
4

Spoon off and discard fat from pan drippings. Add calvados, broth, and tarragon to drippings. Set pan over medium-high heat and stir to scrape brown particles free.

Step 5
5

Whisk in crème fraîche. Turn heat to high and boil until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl. Garnish hens with tarragon sprigs and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with sauce.

Nutrition Facts

0 servings

Serving size

Amount per serving
Calories696
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 48g62%

Saturated Fat 20g100%
Cholesterol 259mg87%
Sodium 155mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 4.3g2%

Dietary Fiber 0.1g1%
Protein 40g

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.