PLANKED BLACK FOREST HEN WITH PRETZEL PUDDING
Sticky beer mustard glaze
4 Persons
4 @ one inch thick apple wood planks
2 large Cornish hens semi-boneless
12 strips of maple bacon
1 bundle rosemary
1 bundle thyme
Cracked black pepper
Course salt
Pretzel pudding
4 soft beer pretzels, diced
1 cup double smoked bacon, fine dice
1 cup pearl onions
2 cups celery, fine minced
1 cup emmental Swiss cheese, diced
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup butter, melted
2 cups rich chicken broth, heated
2 eggs
Fresh black pepper and salt to taste
Finishing Sauce
1 cup sugar beet molasses
1 cup wheat beer
2 tbs grainy mustard
1 tbs poppy seeds
Fresh cracked black pepper and course salt
Method
Soak wood planks into water for 2 hours.
Have your butcher semi debone the Cornish hens by cutting it in half and removing the thigh bones and all the breast bones leaving just the entire wing and drum stick.
In a large frying pan over medium heat sauté double smoked bacon, celery, butter and pearl onions until light brown, season to taste.
In a large bowl add in pretzels and bacon celery mix followed by hot chicken broth and once the broth has been soaked up by the pretzels and in the eggs, parsley and Swiss cheese. Season the stuffing to taste.
Preheat the BBQ
Remove boards from the water and place the pretzel mixture on to each plank boards. Season semi boneless Cornish hens and place the flesh side down onto the pretzel stuffing so that the hen is skin side up. Stuff and top the bird with rosemary and thyme and then wrap the birds with bacon.
To make finishing sauce, whisk all six ingredients together.
Place planks and birds into hot grill to sear the skin crispy then reduce the heat to about 350ºF let the birds plank for approx. 35 minutes until an internal temperature of 165 ºF is reached inside the birds flesh. After about 20 minutes start to baste the Cornish hens with finishing sauce several times until birds are shiny and sticky.
Remove the planks from the BBQ and let the birds rest for 10 minutes, and then start to carve your portions.
Enjoy,
Chef Olaf