Roasted Cornish Game Hens With Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Name: Roasted Cornish Game Hens With Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Prep time: 3 h 55 min
Cook time: 3 h 55 min
Total time: 3 h 55 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 3 kilograms Cornish game hens each), gizzards discarded; 237 milliliters loosely packed fresh parsley leaves; 1 small clove garlic, minced; 8 servings Kosher salt; 2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice; 5 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon paprika; 118 milliliters pepitas (hulled green pumpkin seeds); 2 scallions, chopped

Roasted Cornish Game Hens With Pumpkin Seed Pesto is a gluten free, dairy free, and primal main course. This recipe makes 8 servings with 786 calories, 60g of protein, and 59g of fat each. This recipe covers 30% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. If you have lemon juice, olive oil, kosher salt, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the olive oil you could follow this main course with the Sauteed Banana, Granolan and Yogurt Parfait as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 3 hours and 55 minutes.

Instructions

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil, the pepitas, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a large pinch of paprika in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the seeds begin popping and some turn brown, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Paprika

Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds

Salt

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

Transfer the seeds and oil to a food processor; add 1/2 cup water, the parsley, scallions, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until pureed.

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Juice

Green Onions

Parsley

Seeds

Water

Salt

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Remove about 3 tablespoons of the pesto for the hens and set aside the rest for serving.

Ingredients you will need

Pesto

Slide your fingers under the breast skin of each hen to loosen. Slide 2 heaping teaspoons of the pesto under the skin of each hen, then rub the skin to distribute the pesto.

Ingredients you will need

Pesto

Dry Seasoning Rub

Mash the garlic and 2 teaspoons salt with the flat side of a chef's knife to make a paste.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Salt

Equipment you will use

Chefs Knife

Combine with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon paprika in a bowl, then rub all over the hens. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Paprika

Dry Seasoning Rub

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Put the hens on a rack in a shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, about 1 hour.

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Twine