Roast Cornish Hen with Fingerling Potatoes

The cornish hen is a divine little bird, easy to cook and full of flavor. It tastes and acts just like chicken. Cooking it in the same pan as the potatoes imparts to the latter a pleasant taste and keeps them from drying out.

1 22 oz. cornish hen
3/4 to 1 lb. fingerling potatoes
coarse kosher salt
1 tbsp. dried whole rosemary leaves
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse the bird and salt liberally inside and out. Place breast side up in a small roasting pan or medium loaf pan, and surround with the potatoes. For the most visually appealing result, use a mixture of colors (cut the larger potatoes in half so that the pieces are of a fairly uniform size). Drizzle olive oil over both bird and potatoes. Crush the rosemary in your hands, and sprinkle over the top. Be generous; since you're using a single herb, you might as well emphasize its flavor. Cook for about 1:15, basting two or three times, and stirring the potatoes to keep the ones on top from drying out. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 170 and the juices run clear. Serves two.