Roasted Orange-Tarragon Cornish Hens

Prepare the Hens: Remove and discard any giblets. Rinse the hens thoroughly inside and out, then pat them completely dry with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin from the breasts to create pockets for the marinade. (5 minutes)

Create the Marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, tarragon, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the marinade is emulsified and smooth. (5 minutes)

Marinate the Hens: Place the hens in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the hens, ensuring some gets under the loosened skin of the breasts. Seal the bag, massage the marinade into the hens, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably 4 hours for deeper flavor. (1 hour minimum)

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). (10 minutes)

Roast the Hens: Remove the hens from the bag, allowing any excess marinade to drip off. Reserve the remaining marinade in a small saucepan. Place the hens in a small roasting pan and season with additional salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips underneath to prevent burning. (5 minutes)

Initial Roast: Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. (20 minutes)

Lower Heat and Continue Roasting: Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue cooking, basting the hens with the pan juices every 10 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). This should take approximately 25 to 30 minutes more. (25-30 minutes)

Rest the Hens: Transfer the roasted hens to a serving plate, pouring any cavity juices back into the roasting pan. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. (10 minutes)

Prepare the Pan Sauce: Scrape the pan juices and pour them through a fine-mesh strainer into the saucepan with the reserved marinade. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the sauce has slightly thickened. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. (10 minutes)

Serve: Serve the Cornish hens whole or cut in half. Spoon the luscious pan sauce generously over the hens before serving. Garnish with fresh tarragon sprigs, if desired.