I had to look up "Cornish game hen." They don't come from Cornwall and they are not gamey! I can't think that such a titchy and fast-grown thing could develop much flavour, but I see that you add a lot of flavourings anyway. I cook two sizes of chicken: big five-pounders that I roast for about 110 minutes at 190C, seasoned and buttered all over, a lemon, knob of butter and shallot in the cavity, covered with foil that's removed for the last 30 minutes, and smaller ones, about 3.5 pounds, that I cook "Marcella's way," well-seasoned, no added fat, just two small, pierced lemons in the cavity, half an hour breast down at 180C, same again breast up for half an hour, then with the heat whacked up to 200C for a final 20 minutes. I get the chicken-for-one idea of the mini-hen, but who doesn't love a stack of leftover cold chicken in the fridge for two or three days?

The two of us get three hearty lots of chicken from the big one and a possible bonus sandwich, and two lots from Marcella's. Scraps go in the freezer for a future risotto, or the cat might get a little treat...

I don't put stuffing in the cavity. Instead, I make it into portion-sized balls and bake it on greaseproof paper for 25 minutes while the parsnips and roasties are cooking and the chicken's having a rest. We both devour the skin, but, luckily for me, Mrs Steve always fails to spot that the parson's nose has mysteriously vanished...