It's all too easy, I realized, to cook game hens but truly have no idea what they are. I discovered this after losing an argument to a fellow editor, who claimed that game hens are just baby white meat-only chickens.
She's right: a game hen — also known as a poussin or Cornish game hen — is pretty much that. It came about in the 1950s when two different bird breeds were crossbred to create a juicy, single serving-sized bird with short legs and a plump breast for mostly white meat. Contrary to their name, Cornish game hens aren't hunted, don't taste gamey (in fact, they're known for a delicate flavor), and can be either male or female.
Game hens are sold unboned and are typically under two pounds and no more than six weeks old. They are most commonly roasted whole, although barbecuing them is an option as well. Those of you who cook them at home: do you prefer them to conventional chicken?
For the longest time, I considered porchetta, the slow-roasted Italian pork dish, an order-at-a-restaurant-only entrée. It seemed too hard to make at home. However, for a recent holiday dinner party, I wanted to serve roast pork, and I threw caution to the wind and ended up making a delicious variation of porchetta.
It takes a couple of hours to roast, but it fills the house with a wonderful porky rosemary fragrance. To ensure that you get the correct cut, ask your butcher if he carries it a week before you plan on cooking the pork. With its succulent and well-seasoned meat, the resulting pork is a real crowd-pleaser. I definitely recommend the recipe. Check it out now.
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Seafood pasta is one thing that pescetarians will likely never tire of. Toothsome noodles and chewy shellfish are an unbeatable duo. But if linguine con vongole is one of those dishes you can make with your eyes closed, then try a new spin on that winning combination. This pan-Asian pasta adds a completely new angle to a comfort food standby. Rather than sautéeing or steaming the clams, the recipe calls for stir-frying clams in a smoking hot wok with ginger, garlic, and Chinese black bean sauce — then tossing Japanese udon noodles with the sauce until well-coated. The entire dish can be made as speedily as any stir-fry. For the recipe, keep reading.
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