Flattened Cornish Game Hens

“Cornish game hen” is a misnomer. These aren’t game birds; they’re a cross between Cornish and White Rock chickens. The best way to sear the meat is to split them so they can be flattened against the hot surface of the skillet (see step 2 or have your butcher remove the backbone for you). You’ll need a very large skillet—or two!—for these birds. You weight them down over the heat, either with another skillet or with a heavy saucepan. If yours isn’t heavy enough to hold the bird against the hot surface, consider putting a couple of inches of warm water in it for weight.

Four 3⁄4- to 1-pound Cornish game hens, giblets and necks removed

1⁄4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons salt, preferably kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1⁄2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons lemon juice

• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Lay a hen on your work surface breast side up. Insert a sharp chef ’s knife into the large cavity opening, locate the backbone, and make a cut from tip to tail along one side of the bone. Make a second cut along the other side of the backbone, thereby removing it. Turn the bird over breast side down and spread it open by pressing the legs down toward the work surface. The breastbone may or may not crack. Once the bird is spread open, turn it over skin side up and flatten it against the work surface. Set aside and repeat with the other hens.
• Rub the hens on both sides with olive oil, then gently massage salt and pepper into the meat and skin (about 1 tablespoon oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper for each bird).
• Heat a very large, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, or even two skillets, over medium-high heat until a drop of water skitters across the surface. Place the hens skin side down in the skillet(s), then use a heavy saucepan or other pot to press them down against the skillet, weighting them down against the hot surface. Immediately reduce the heat to medium. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes with the heavier pan resting on the birds.
• Remove the saucepan and turn the birds over. Place the skillet(s) in the oven and roast until golden, until a meat thermometer inserted into the meat without touching the bone registers 165 F (our preference) or 180 F (the USDA recommendation), 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove the skillet(s) from the oven. Transfer the birds to a serving platter; tent with foil.
• Pour off the oil from one skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Swirl in the broth and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet. Simmer the mixture until it reduces to a glaze, about 2 minutes. Pour this sauce over the birds before serving.

Makes 4 servings