Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Toasted Bread Crumbs

Ingredients

• 1 cup coarse bread crumbs
• Six 1- to 1 1/4-pound Cornish game hens
• halved
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 anchovy fillets
• rinsed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 garlic clove
• minced
• 1 scallion
• thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. Spread the bread crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
3. Let the bread crumbs cool.
4. Arrange the hen halves, skin side up, on a large rimmed baking sheet.
5. Brush the hens with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Roast the hens for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh registers 170.
7. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the parsley, vinegar, anchovies, capers, lemon zest, garlic, scallion, rosemary and thyme; season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the bread crumbs and toss to coat.
9. Arrange the hens on a platter, top with the bread crumbs and serve.