This recipe serves 2. For more people, add more birds, prunes and onions. Leave the jus ingredients the same – they’ll still be plenty up to about 6. After that, add a splash more stock and port.
2 poussins or Cornish Hens
4 pitted prunes
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp butter per bird
Salt and pepper
½ cup port
2/3 cup chicken stock
12 tbsp redcurrant jelly (or cranberry sauce)
- Pre heat the oven to 425
- Season the cavity of each bird and pop in 2 prunes and 1 quarter of onion
- Rub butter over the outside of the bird and season well. Place in a roasting tin
- Scatter the unpeeled garlic cloves in the roasting tin, and the leftover onion. (Stop here if you’re preparing ahead)
- Roast for 55 minutes (the meat should be 175 F on a thermometer and the juices should run clear)
- Transfer to a serving dish and cover with foil to rest and keep warm
- Put the roasting pan on the heat and pour in the chicken stock and port. Scrape up the bits from the bottom and squeeze out the garlic, removing the skins
- Add the redcurrant jelly and bubble to reduce slightly
This recipe originally appeared alongside an engagement accident waiting to happen and a Dickensian Christmas feast.