Let's get Cornish on Thanksgiving!
Why does Thanksgiving always have to be about stressing over turkey being cooked on time and whether or not it's going to turn out to be too dry which let's be honest, most of the time turkey does turn out to be dry.
Then worrying about the ton of sides to go with the turkey dinner. We decided to take a different route to do a Thanksgiving dinner of using the lovely Cornish Hen family style. Here's how we went about with it.
Ingredients
Cornish Hen - 2 (for 3 people)
Cumin powder - 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Red chili powder - 1 teaspoon
Sour cream - 2 tablespoons
Oil - 3 tablespoons
Salt - to taste
Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
For the brine
Water - 4 cups
Salt - 6 tablespoons
Sugar - 2 tablespoons (brown or white sugar)
For the sides
Sweet corn - 1 can
Green peppers - 2
Onions - 1 medium
Jalapenos - 2 pieces
Fresh tortillas (depends on how many you can stuff in your face)
Process -
1) Prepare the brine by mixing the salt and sugar with water. Soak the Cornish Hens in it for 6 to 12 hours.
2) Prepare the spice mix with red chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add sour cream as well as 1 tablespoon of oil and whisk well. Adjust for seasoning.
3) Remove Cornish hen from the brine and pat dry. Massage the marinade onto the hen. Set aside for 2 to 3 hours.
4) Preheat oven to 375°F. In a cast iron skillet, heat oil, add julienned peppers and onions, lay the cornish hen on the peppers. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165°F.
5) While the hen is baking, heat a pan and dry roast a can of corn. Once you see some color on the corn, set aside in a bowl.
6) For the jalapenos, you have an option to either add a touch of oil to a hot pan and roasting it or if you want the real char, set it straight on an open flame set to medium.
7) Set all the sides in bowls. Serve the Cornish hen in the skillet itself.
Here's the fun part!! Let the guests pick the meat with a pair of tongs on to the tortilla along with the sides, this sure makes it a more of a fun way to enjoy Thanksgiving. Let us know your thoughts.
