Cornish hens offer a grand way to control portion sizes:

When it comes to keeping portion sizes in check, Cornish hens are a shoo-in.

A hybrid between Cornish and White Rock chickens, the resulting miniature poultry typically weighs just 1 to 2 pounds, enough to serve two people.

The Cornish hens (also referred to as Rock Cornish game hens) arrived on the scene in 1965 and were first marketed as a gourmet food by Tyson. While they continue to make an elegant presentation for entertaining, there's no reason not to serve the roasted hens for a weeknight meal.

Just think of the hens as you would a little chicken, or, for that matter, as a teeny-tiny turkey. Either way, the roasting procedure is the same and because they're so small, dinner is ready in an hour.

The Kansas City Star's recipe for Cornish Hens in Cider is low in sodium and high in protein. Although the total fat content is high, the amount of saturated fat is moderate. The cider keeps the lean (mostly breast) meat on the bird moist. The apples give the hens a seasonal spin while boosting the antioxidants and fiber content of the meal.

Cornish Hens in Cider

1/2 lemon, cut into two pieces

2 Cornish hens (18 ounces each)

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 shallots, peeled and sliced very thin

3 large apples, such as Fuji or Golden Delicious

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 cup apple cider

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Squeeze a lemon quarter into each cavity and place the quarter in hen. Rub olive oil over each hen. Season with salt and pepper. Secure Cornish hen with string (truss) and tuck wings underneath.

Place in deep skillet or roasting pan. Sprinkle the shallots around the hens. Peel and core the apples and cut into thick slices. Place the apple pieces around hens. Sprinkle thyme over all ingredients. Pour cider and water over all. Roast 55 to 65 minutes or until meat reaches 180 degrees.

Carve hens in half and discard lemons. Serve with apples and shallots. Pour some juice over the top.

Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 432 calories (36 percent from fat), 18 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 105 milligrams cholesterol, 53 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams protein, 66 milligrams sodium, 8 grams dietary fiber.

Shopping tip

For testing, we used frozen 18-ounce birds from Tyson. Look for Cornish hens in the freezer case of most large supermarkets. Buy without giblets if possible and be sure to leave the birds in the refrigerator to defrost the night before you plan to make this recipe.

Cooking tip

For a thicker sauce, remove apples and shallots from pan juices and simmer liquid until it is reduced by about half. Chefs typically call this a reduction and it concentrates the cider flavor.

Serving tip

After roasting, allow hen to stand 10 minutes. Pull leg away with a carving fork and, using a sharp knife, cut through to detach the leg and thigh. Repeat on other side. Cut straight down along one side of breast bone to carve off the remaining meat.

In next week's Taste ...

... find a recipe for Vegtable-stuffed Meatloaf.

Recipes created for the Kansas City Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.