The Food - 10/15 Lemon Sage Game Hens with Simple Ratatouille

 Lemon Sage Game Hens with a Simple Ratatouille

I made this for dinner with a neighbor last night.   He is moving away and we wanted to spend a last evening with him.  I had a dressage lesson until 6:30 and he was expected at 7:30 for dinner so I had to keep it simple.

Game hens

3 free-range antibiotic-free game hens
two organic lemons
a bunch of fresh organic sage
salt and pepper
fresh tiny organic red, yellow and white potatoes
About a 1/4 c. virgin olive oil

Quarter the lemons and stuff them into the cavity of each bird.  Ball up three sprigs of sage place one in each bird as well.  Place the birds side by side in a large roasting pan surrounded with the little potatoes.  Drizzle olive oil over the lot and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.  remove the cover and return to the oven to brown: about 10 more minutes.

Ratatouille 

1 organic red onion
1 eggplant
3 small organic yellow squashes
4 organic heirloom tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put the oil in a dutch oven over a medium burner on top of the stove
Turn on the burner and when the oil begins to sizzle, turn to  low
Slice in the onion and soften for 10 minutes
Cube the eggplant in @ 1 inch cubes and add to the pot
                      (I add the salt here because it brings out the juices of the eggplant)
Add the squash and simmer for 10 minutes
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes
Just before serving, add the crushed garlic and simmer for 2 more minutes.

I served the hens on a platter with the potatoes and garnished with fresh sage sprigs.  I served the ratatouille directly from the dutch oven into small bowls and had warm, fresh, crusty bread to sop up the juices.  A crisp organic white wine went well with this.