Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Sweet and Sour Cabbage Slaw, and Herbed Spaetzle

October already!!! I am going to do an Octoberfest series beginning with these three:

Cornish Game Hens:
5 T. EVOO
1/2 cup pepitas (hulled green pumpkin seeds)
 Sea salt*
1 t. plus a large pinch of smoked paprika*
1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
2 scallions, chopped
2 T. fresh lemon juice
4 Cornish game hens, gizzards discarded
1 small garlic clove, minced

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400. Make the pumpkin seed pesto: Heat 3 T. oil, the pepitas, 1/2 t. salt, and a large pinch of paprika in a large skillet over med. heat. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the seeds begin popping and some turn brown, about 5 mins. Remove from heat, and let cool completely. Transfer the seeds and oil to a food processor; add 1/2 cup water, parsley, scallions, lemon juice, and 1/4 t. salt, and pulse until pureed. Remove about 3 T. of the pesto and set aside the rest for serving. Slide your fingers under the breast skin of each hen to loosen. Slide 2 heaping t. of the pesto under the skin of each hen, then rub to distribute the pesto. Mash the garlic and 2 t. salt with the flat side of a chef's knife to create a paste. Combine the remaining 2 T. olive oil and 1 t. paprika in a bowl, then rub all over hens. Refrigerate uncovered 2 hours or overnight. Put the hens on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until the skin is golden brown - about 1 hour. Let rest 15 mins., then cut each hen in half. Serve with reserved pesto.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Slaw:

2 T. butter
3/4 t. caraway seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
2 lbs. carrots, halved lengthwise, and cut into 2" pieces
1/2 cup water
3 T. brown sugar
3 T. cider vinegar
4 cups shredded red cabbage
Sea salt* and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Lemon juice
Fresh dill, minced
Fresh parsley, chopped

Melt butter in a large skillet over med. heat. Add caraway seeds and garlic; cook, stirring, 1 min. Add carrots to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, brown sugar, vinegar and S&P. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 15 mins. Stir in cabbage, and season with salt; cook 5 mins. Remove from heat, and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Top with dill and parsley.

Herbed Spaetzle:

Sea salt*
3 cups all purpose flour
Freshly ground pepper
Large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup sour cream
1 cup seltzer
3 large eggs
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill and parsley
1 T. whole grain mustard
2 T. plus 2 t. EVOO
4 T. butter

Bring a pot of salted water to a bare simmer. Combine the flour, 2 t. salt, a pinch of pepper, and the nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk the sour cream, seltzer, eggs, herbs, and mustard in another bowl, then stir into flour mixture. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Working over the simmering water, place about 1 cup of the dough in a colander and push the dough through with a rubber spatula. Cook the spaetzle for 1 min. after they float to the surface, then remove with a slotted spoon, and transfer to the ice water. Repeat with remaining dough, letting the water return to a bare simmer between batches. Drain the spaetzle, spread out on a baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Toss with 2 t. olive oil. Heat 2 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over med.-high heat. Increase the heat to high, and add half of the spaetzle in an even layer. Cook, undisturbed until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 mins. Shake the pan and loosen the spaetzle with a spatula, continue cooking until heated through about 1 more min. Season with S&P. Repeat with remaining butter, oil and spaetzle. Serve with hens, slaw, and a glass of chilled German wine.

"Stand at the intersection of your affections and successes, and find your uniqueness".

Hope you had FUN today. I did!!

Love,

MM