Cornish Game Hen with blue cheese mashed yams

Last week, Nicole and I were craving something savory and hearty but not a huge portion. I decided to make the cornish game hens I had bought and match them up with some mashed yams.

Ingredients:
2 Cornish Game hen
1 lb of dense yams or sweet potatoes
1/4 lb of fragrant blue cheese (Amish, smoked, or Maytag)
1 tbs Olive Oil
1/8 cup Cayenne Red Pepper

The hen is simple. The meat is flavorful on its own, obvious chicken notes with a hint of the fattiness of duck. After cleaning them off, I decided to just dress the hens with a little cayenne pepper and rubbed them down. I set a dry cast iron skillet in the oven and heated to 350°F and put the hens back down-breast up in, until they were 180°F internally for 10 minutes.

While preheating and cooking, I boiled some cubed yams with a a tablespoon of olive oil. Once soft (note that they will show some small transparency on the edges) I drained the water and turned the heat down so they could simmer while being mashed. I used a large wooden spoon and mashed them against the side of the pot. A potato masher works as well. I then sprinkled bits of blue cheese over the top until it was completely covered. I replaced the lid on the pot and let it heat on simmer until the cheese had melted across the top.

The hens do not need to be turned or flipped but they will likely lose the skin on their back but will be juicy and flavorful. I would recommend paring the meal with a greens salad like arugola or kale with tomato, some caramelized onions and garlic, and a light sprinkle of blue cheese if you can handle it.

Good Eats