Cornish Game Hens With Pancetta, Juniper Berries And Beets

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 medium beets with greens, beets peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, greens finely chopped
• 1/2 lb pancetta, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries, coarsely chopped
• 4 cornish hens, giblets removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Recipe

• 1 position 1 rack in top third of oven and second rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°f
• 2 mix 1 1/2 cups chopped beet greens, pancetta and juniper berries in medium bowl. season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 3 fill hen cavities with pancetta mixture, dividing equally. tie hen legs together.
• 4 place hens in heavy large roasting pan. rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over hens.
• 5 sprinkle hens with salt and pepper. (can be prepared 8 hours ahead. cover and refrigerate.).
• 6 roast hens on bottom rack in oven until golden and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• 7 meanwhile, toss chopped beets with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on heavy large baking sheet.
• 8 season with salt and pepper. arrange beets in single layer.
• 9 roast beets on top rack in oven until tender and beginning to caramelize, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• 10 transfer hens to plates. remove string. scrape up any browned bits from bottom of roasting pan.
• 11 pour pan juices through sieve into 2-cup glass measuring cup. spoon fat off top of pan juices.
• 12 spoon beets around hens. drizzle pan juices around hens and serve.