Cornish Hens with Lemon, Herbs, and Roasted Root Vegetables with Apple Juice

mike has this at Indian Road cafe the other night.  i thought i would give this a try.

Ingredients

• 2 Cornish hens (about 1 3/4 pounds each), room temperature, rinsed well and patted dry
• 1 bunch fresh thyme (about 1/2 ounce), plus more for garnish
• 2 lemons, halved, plus wedges for serving
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath. Squeeze remaining lemon halves over hens. Rub butter all over hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Roast hens, rotating pan halfway through, until skin turns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with lemon wedges.

To make the root vegetables:

Ingredients

• 3 cups apple juice
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds turnips
• 1 1/4 pounds parsnips
• 1 1/4 pounds carrots
• 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (yams)
• 3 Andouille sausages, cut into cubes

Directions

Boil apple juice and wine in heavy large saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 30 minutes. Whisk in butter.
saute the andouille sausages in olive oil.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Divide between 2 large roasting pans. Pour apple juice mixture over vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast until vegetables and sausages until they are tender and golden, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

http://www.marthastewart.com/340178/cornish-hens-with-lemon-and-herbs