Now let’s get this started with a simple dish, Cilantro Lime Cornish Hens with Rum Lime Finishing Sauce, similar to the poultry dish I enjoyed in Thailand that started my journey of tasted exploration. In this dish, rather than use hot peppers, I use a creole seasoning mix to develop heat. While the street dish did not have a finished sauce, I add a spiced rum-based sauce to incorporate the flavors of a Bangkok street cocktail stall. I suggest using Kraken Black Spiced Rum.
The Flavor Tiers begin with the Cornish Hens. Cornish Hens are a great foundation food for a small dinner party of 4-6 people as each guest is provided their own hen; butterflied or split, the cooking time greatly decreases. Their solid, flavorful meat supports any number of herbs and spices to achieve completely different tastes.
The hens are enhanced with an herbed butter which serves as both a flavor tier and to provide a beautifully crisped skin. Use of mint and lime brighten the flavorful meat.
The Rum Lime Finishing Sauce; with just a bit of honey, soothes the heat in the seasoned butter. A secret to a successful Flavor Tier of finishing sauces is allow a small amount to cover the food with the remaining sauce served on the side. This method enables the diner to determine the intensity of the flavor.
Finish the dish with a flavorful visual Flavor Tier by sprinkling lemon and lime zest plus finely chopped pistachios on the hens after the plating. It elevates the dish past simply great to incredible!
Keeping all of the accompaniments simple allows the Cornish Hens to hold center stage but continue the lime flavor from appetizers to sides featured as accompaniments to this recipe.
Playlist
I couldn’t help myself. The list includes the groups Asia, Thailand and the song Bangkok, but you’ll also find the lesser known such as Little Scream.
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 t minced garlic
1 t kosher salt
2 T finely chopped fresh mint
1 t grated lime zest
1 1/2 t fresh lime juice
¼ t – 1/2 t creole seasoning such as Tony Chacheire’s (provides heat, adjust to your taste)
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
6 small Cornish Game Hens, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each
Rum Lime Finishing Sauce (recipe below)
1/2 c freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 c spiced rum such as Kraken Black Spiced Rum
2 T olive oil (Roasted Garlic Oil if you have on hand)
2 t finely grated lime zest
1 t thyme
2 T honey
½ – 1 t marjoram (has the same qualities as oregano but sweeter and bolder. Begin with lesser amount and adjust to taste)
1 t salt
½ t chili powder
Heat all ingredients in a small pan, whisking to blend well. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Top Tier
1 T. lime zest
1 T. lemon zest
1 T finely chopped pistachios
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Wine
The wine needs to be light to harmonize with the roast poultry and lighter sides. A lighter, dry red such as Pinot Noir Tina Marie Russian Valley. If you or your guests prefer a white wine, stay with a dry Riesling as a sweet one does not mix well with the rum based sauce. Try Dr Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Kabinett.
Beer
Old world lagers or pilsners both work well with the roasted poultry. Your choice is more based on your preference to the stronger flavor of a lager to a lighter pilsner. Try Brooklyn Pilsner or Victory Lager.
Spirits
Try El Dorado 15 Year Old Rum for after dinner sipping, but serve some crackers and blue cheese along side. If just seems to deepen the coffee and clove flavors of the rum. For a cocktail, Anurat’s Rum Old Fashioned using Myer’s Dark Rum and Angostura Bitters brings a flavor close to the Rum Lime Finishing Sauce used in the dinner.
Appetizers (plate these together on small individual plates with a pineapple slice on the left side of the plate and 3 shrimp on the right side in an arch, tails up):
Sara Buri Blue Lime Pineapple Bites – pineapple wedges encased in a blue cheese lime zest mix and roasted
Rayong Limed Fan Tailed Shrimp – marinated in rum, lime juice, honey and seasonings and broiled with the pineapple
Passion Flower Ice Cream Sandwiches – passion flower ice cream served in the traditional Thai manner – between layers of spongy sweet yeast bread
Avocado Mango Salad with Honey Lime Dressing – chunks of avocado and mango served over a bed of arugula
Thanon Sarasin Saffron Rice – colorful saffron strands fleck the rice mounds topped with a blend of cashews and scallions