Halfling Game Birds

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 2 Cornish game hens (about 2 pounds each)
• Olive oil spray

Instructions

1. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine 1½ tablespoons salt, 1½ teaspoons pepper, the lemon zest, rosemary, and thyme; stir to incorporate; and set aside.
3. On a work surface, using kitchen or poultry shears, cut through both sides of, and remove, a Cornish hen's backbone. Repeat with the second hen. Working one at a time, turn the hens so they're breast-side up and then flatten with one of your hands. Using a chef's knife, cut through the breastbone to halve each hen.
4. Pat the hens dry with paper towels and then, working with one half hen at a time, gently shimmy a finger between the skin and the meat, loosening but not detaching the skin. Rub about one-fourth of the seasoning mixture under the skin of each half, then sprinkle about ½ teaspoon salt all over the skin of each half. Tuck the wing tips behind the breasts and arrange the halves skin-side up on the prepared rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
5. With racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, place a second rimmed baking sheet on the lower rack, and preheat the oven to 500°F.
6. When the oven is ready, remove the hens from the refrigerator. Coat the skins with olive oil spray and sprinkle each hen half with about ¼ teaspoon pepper. Carefully arrange the hens, skin-side down, on the preheated baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the hens from the oven and preheat the broiler. Flip the hens skin-side up, set the baking sheet on the upper rack, and broil the hens until well browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F when inserted into the thickest part of a breast, and 175°F in the thickest part of a thigh, 6 to 9 minutes, rotating the sheet as necessary for even browning. Transfer the hen halves to a platter or individual plates. Serve immediately.