Herb Roasted Cornish Hens

Ingredients

• 2 Cornish hens
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced, fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced, fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 shallots, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 carrots, roughly chopped into 1" pieces
• 1 1/2 stalks celery, roughly chopped into 1" pieces
• 1 lemon

Instruction

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Rinse the Cornish hens with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper inside and out.
3. Stuff the insides of the hens with garlic, rosemary, thyme and 1/2 bay leaf each. Place a few pieces of shallots, carrots and celery in the cavity.
4. Scatter the rest of the shallots, carrots and celery on the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the hens on top of the vegetables.
5. Squeeze juice from the lemons all over the hens and add 1/2 to each hen cavity. Roast in the oven until the hens are golden brown and crisp and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a sharp knife, about 45 minutes.
6. Transfer the hens to a serving platter and let rest for about 5 minutes. Remove the skin from the hens and cut each one in half.