Maple & bourbon glazed poussins with cornbread stuffing

Method

• step 1

  To make the cornbread, heat oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6 and brush a 23cm cake tin with a little of the melted butter. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients with 1 tsp salt. Mix the eggs, milk and butter in a jug. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and gradually pour in the wet ones, mixing with a wooden spoon as you go.

• step 2

  Pour into the cake tin and bake for 20-25 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.

• step 3

  To make the maple glaze for the poussins, put the maple syrup in a large pan (it bubbles up a lot when heated), bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and let it reduce by a third. Add the bourbon and Tabasco and leave to cool.

• step 4

  To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a frying pan and gently fry the spring onions, just until they are softening a little. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Scrape into a bowl and add 250g of crumbled cornbread, lemon zest, thyme and eggs. Mix together.

• step 5

  Season the birds inside and stuff each one. Put them in a roasting tin and brush each poussin, using half the glaze. Roast for 35 mins at 190C/170C fan/gas 5, then spoon the rest of the glaze over the birds. Return to the oven and roast for a further 15 mins. The birds should be cooked through with dark, glossy skin.