• 4 Cornish hens
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 teaspoons minced, fresh rosemary leaves
• 4 teaspoons minced, fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 shallots, roughly chopped into 1" pieces
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped into 1" pieces
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped into 1" pieces
• 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 375° F. Rinse Cornish hens with cold water and pat dry. Season with salt (optional) and pepper inside and out. Stuff insides of hens with garlic, rosemary, thyme. and ½ bay leaf each. Place a few pieces of shallot, carrot, and celery in cavity. Squeeze juice from lemons all over hens and place ½ lemon in each hen cavity.

Roast in oven until hens are golden brown and crisp and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with sharp knife, about 45 minutes. Transfer hens to carving board and let reset for about 5 minutes. Remove skin from hens. cut each one in half, and serve.