- 2 cornish hens
- 1 tbl juniper berries
- 3 bay leaves
- 10 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tbl parsley
- 3 sliced of pancetta sliced
- 1 bottle of beer
- 1 tsp honey
last week i was away. e, the kiddies and i hopped in my little outback and drove down to sarasota. needless to say, i had some time on my hands, 18 hours to be exact. while the kids slept soundly in the back seat and i was taking a break from angry birds (which i am totally addicted to now) i took e’s kindle light and read tons of food magazines and cook books that i have had piling up in the house. i bookmarked a lot. i actually had a pen and paper handy and started my grocery list. sick i know, i came back totally inspired and ready to cook.
today’s recipe is actually not from any of the books i had or magazines i ripped articles out of, this is from, yes, you guessed it, laura calder. i happened to come across a french food at home episode on my phone, this was a recipe i have had actually bookmarked from her cookbook months ago but never got around to making. it’s a simple recipe that takes no time at all to prepare, and the best part, it uses beer.
beer bird adapted from laura calder’s, french food at home
just a note, you can use any type of bird and any type of cut; legs, wings, i happened to come across cornish hens at the store and thought they would be perfect for this recipe.
- preheat our oven to 475 and clean those birds.
- split the cornish hens right down the breast and lay them out flat in your baking dish. tuck the next 3 ingredients into the spaces between the hens. lay the pancetta out over the birds, sprinkle your parsley over and pour in your beer.
- bake for 15 minutes and flip the bird. bake another 15 minutes and flip back. i then flipped it once more for 5 minutes on each side.
- when chicken is cooked, set it aside and add all the juice and beer into a saucepan with the honey, bring to a boil and reduce to half.
- pour a little of the beer sauce over the bird and then serve the rest in a bowl for people to dip.
one of the easiest and juiciest “chicken” dishes i have had. we all completely devoured the bird. i was able to find a little meat for lunch today.
Are the juniper berries a dried spice? Where can I find them? This looks delicious.
they are, i found them at fairway. i have seen them in my local groceries. don't be surprised if you can't find them, someone commented on fb that they tried 3 different places with no luck. i have plenty of extra and would be willing to ship
what kind of beer do you recommend?
we used a pumpkin beer we had sitting around. the heavier the beer the more flavor it imparts. for example a new castle brown or a belgian ale, maybe even a negro modelo.
Made your beer chicken yesterday and it absolutely rocked!!! Substituted dried cranberries because I had them in the house, and used boneless, skinless thighs because I had those too. While it was cooking, house started smelling amazing – kept breathing deeply it smelled so good!! Couldn't wait for my husband to come home, smell it and be psyched! Great flavor, moist, easy and healthy! What more could a busy girl ask for!!! Can't wait to bring a big tray of it to the next party I go to!! Thanks so much!! PS – Can't wait to make it for my daughter when she gets home from college! She'll be looking for the leftovers to take back with her for sure!!!
i am so glad you enjoyed it kara! i am so happy to hear that cranberries worked out, i bet it added a nice sweet flavor to the beer broth. need to try that next time!