Spatchcocked cornish hen with baby leaf salad and sourdough croutons

Delight in the flavors of spatchcocked Cornish hen paired with a refreshing baby leaf salad featuring crispy sourdough croutons. Enjoy a symphony of taste!

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 thick slices sourdough bread
• 1 Cornish hen
• 2 tablespoons regular olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon golden raisons
• 2 tablespoons dry white vermouth or white wine
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 170g (about 6 cups) watercress, spinach, and arugula salad or other feisty leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon muscatel vinegar
• 3 tablespoons cold-pressed canola oil or good extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200 °C and allow the bread slices to air dry on a wire rack for a bit. 
2. To butterfly the Cornish hen, use sturdy, sharp scissors (or poultry shears) to cut along both sides of the spine, remove the spine, then press down on the breast to flatten it. Cut the Cornish hen in half. Place it in a small roasting pan; you can include the spine for extra flavor for the dressing later. 
3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the hen, sprinkle with paprika and add thyme sprigs, and toss in the unpeeled garlic cloves. Roast until the Cornish hen is golden-brown on top and fully cooked, around 30 to 40 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile, combine the golden raisins and vermouth or white wine in a small saucepan. Heat gently on the stovetop until it simmers. Remove from heat and let it sit for approximately 10 minutes, or ideally, allow it to cool while the Cornish hen is roasting. 
5. Toast the pine nuts in a dry, hot skillet over low heat until they turn golden. Transfer the pine nuts to a small bowl. Trim the crusts from the bread and dice into croutons. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet and fry the croutons until they are golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate. 
6. After the hen is cooked, remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the spine and thyme sprigs. Place the salad greens on a couple of plates. Whisk together Dijon mustard, salt, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of cold-pressed canola or extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl. Transfer the Cornish hen and garlic cloves to a cutting board, add the pan juices to the dressing, and whisk again. For extra flavor, pour a bit of hot water from a recently boiled kettle into the pan and swirl it around to gather any remaining bits. Add this liquid to the dressing and mix in the plumped golden raisins. 
7. Place each Cornish hen half on top of the salad on the plates and add 2 garlic cloves (if they are not too burnt, slightly charred and caramelized is ideal). Give the dressing a final stir and drizzle it over the hen and the salad. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, croutons, and a few fresh thyme sprigs.

Summary:

• Calories: 2066 kcal
• Fat: 129 g
• Protein: 96 g
• Carbs: 132 g
• Potassium: 3389 mg
• Magnesium: 425 mg