Roast Game Hens with Mustard - Le Coquelet 'A La Moutarde, Friday Dinner Idea!

This is not your everyday recipe cause it is reach and buttery. But when you have friends over or there is family gathering, that is a perfect dish. I love to make something special for Friday dinner. It's the end of the week, kids usually don't have any homework and we can have long dinner together. My husband always has a nice bottle of wine and we allow ourselves to have any dessert we like. The recipe is French, hence the secret is in the sauce. I highly recommend it, the sauce is wonderful!

It seems quite complicated, cause it involves few steps, but in fact it is not. While chicken is roasting in the oven you can prepare sauce and vegetables. The whole dish has taken me one hour to make. Have a pleasant weekend, dear readers!



Ingredients:

For the roast game hens:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more if need it
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2-3 Rock Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 lb. each
• 4 slices of bread, toasted, for serving

For the Béchamel - basic thick white sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 1/2 cup milk 

For the mustard sauce:

•  the yellow rind of 1/2 lemon 
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 cup of cream
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to hot 400 F.

Combine to a smooth paste: butter, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Spread this paste over breast, legs and wings of Cornish hens. Put the birds in a buttered roasting pan and roast in the hot oven for about hour, basting occasionally with juices in pan.

When the birds are cooked, remove from oven, and cut each in half or quarters with poultry shears. Arrange pieces in a shallow pan and keep hot.

To make a sauce: Make the béchamel sauce - basic thick white sauce. Into container of an electric blender put softened butter, salt flour, white pepper and milk. Cover container and blend for about 30 seconds. Pour sauce into double boiler and cook over simmering water for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mince the yellow lemon rind.Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the rind.

To liquid in roasting pan add mustard and cook stirring in all the juices in the pan. Add béchamel sauce. Stir in cream and bring to the boil. Correct seasonings with salt, if necessary. Add the blanched lemon peel, a little freshly ground pepper, and butter.



Presentation: Place the Rock Cornish hens in the sauce, turn to coat and heat them, then transfer to the toasts on the serving platter. Strain the sauce over all.