Roasted Cornich Hen

How does cornich hen roasted the African way sounds like for dinner???

I really like cornich hen because of its natural flavor which is little coarser than this mechanically produced fatty chickens they sell us everywhere, and its taste and texture is closer to our naturally produced poultry which they call here "organic" to sound fancy and which is the norm for us back home. What I also really like about the hens is the fact that I can roast them without having the boil them forever before like our african "strong chicken". They will come out moist without falling apart. The other thing is that they are small enough for the serving size to be half of a hen per person.

I usually prep my hens the day before, I clean them and prepare my mixture of Maggi seasoning cubes, parsley, mustard, a little bit of oil, some crushed habanero peppers, garlic, a little bit of ginger and stick my seasoning inside the hen (I usually make holes with a knife) and also between the skin and the flesh and let it sit overnight in the fridge or if I'm in a rush I would do it in the morning to have it roasted in the evening.

When you are ready to put it in the oven, repeat the same process with your mixture of spices (adding about half an onion or a small onion this time), add a little more oil when you are done and rub the poultry all over with it. Put it in the oven at about 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2 hours, rubbing your hens with the mixture every now and then.

Serve with the side of your choice!

served with a side of salad, potato gratin and stuffing

Okra Soup

People usually tend to have a love/hate relationship with Okra. Either they love it or they hate it. And Okra soup can be very nasty looking and tasting if not cooked well. Though it is rather easy to make and the taste will depend a lot on the spices and the kind of meat that you put in there.

I usually either cut my okra in very very tiny pieces or I blend it. I'm not a fan of big slices of okra. My husband likes it drawy while I don't. So I make it drawy but not too much.

Say Hello to this yummy plate of Okra Soup!!

This is how I make it.

 

1. Boil your goat meat and cow skin together with a few slices of onion, salt and pepper
2. When cooked, drain the meat, and keep the broth.
3. Fry your onion, then add your tomato and let it cook for 5-10 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 Next blend this...

4 cloves of garlic, half an onion, 2 habanero peppers, half a tomato

...into this:

 And add that mixture to your pot

Let it cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, then add your meat and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. You want the flavor of the meat and that of the sauce to combine and cook together for a little bit.

 In the meantime blend your okra

Add your okra mixture to your pot

add your smoked fish and your crayfish and let it cook for about 10 minutes...

  

 

...before adding about half a cup to 2/3 cup of palm oil. 

Let the oil cook and combine into the soup, adjust your seasoning and let simmer for about 10 more minutes. It's ready!

served with yam foufou