Cornish game hen with parsnip puree and pan sauce

Cut the hens in half down the centre of the breast and again on the other side to remove the spine; keep the spine to fortify store-bought stock.

Coat all sides generously with salt and pepper cut with about a teaspoon of baking powder and refrigerate uncovered overnight.

Peel a parsnip of about a pound and cut into one inch pieces; put in a large saucepan with three quarters of a cup each milk and heavy cream, a sprig of thyme, a couple cloves of roasted garlic and a couple pinches of kosher salt.

Cover, bring to a simmer over medium, lower the heat and cook 12 to 15 minutes until the parsnips are completely tender.

Discard the thyme, lift the parsnips into a blender with about a cup of the cooking liquid and two tablespoons of butter and blend on high until smooth, adding just enough liquid to let it blend.

Season the puree with kosher salt and ground white pepper.

To oven roast: set the hens on a rack over a baking sheet filled with mirepoix, brush with the fat of your choice and roast at 450F for 15 minutes.

Drop to 375F and continue until the thighs reach about 180F, 35 to 45 minutes.

To pan roast: place the hens skin side down in a cold heavy bottom stainless skillet over medium high; they will stick then release as they brown. Flip and put the skillet into a 375F oven.

Rest the hens 10 minutes before serving.

Saute a small minced shallot in the drippings over medium until soft and starting to brown.

Deglaze with a cup of chicken stock, scraping the bottom, add the juice of half a lemon, simmer and reduce by about 75 percent to the consistency of heavy cream.

Off the heat whisk in an optional teaspoon of Dijon and three tablespoons of butter to emulsify, add a tablespoon of chopped parsley, salt and pepper. A splash of water will re-emulsify a breaking sauce.

Smear parsnip puree down the plate, set the hen on it, sauce generously and garnish with more parsley.

Variation: zest one lemon into half a cup of packed parsley with half a chopped shallot and a chopped clove of garlic, chop fine, season with kosher salt and black pepper and scatter it round the plate with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and flaky salt.

Variation: saute half a minced shallot in a tablespoon of vegetable oil two to three minutes, deglaze with a cup each Ruby Port and chicken stock, add six quartered figs and a sprig of rosemary.

Simmer aggressively until reduced by about 75 percent to the consistency of cream, then mount with plenty of butter until the wine's bitterness mellows.

Spoon the fig sauce over the hen and top with pea shoots or watercress dressed in lemon and olive oil.