Ingredients for - Maple & bourbon glazed poussins with cornbread stuffing

1. 30g butter , melted and cooled, plus extra for brushing the tin
2. 150g coarse yellow cornmeal
3. 150g plain flour
4. 50g soft light brown sugar
5. 1 tsp baking powder
6. 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
7. 240ml milk
8. 15g butter
9. 200g spring onions , chopped
10. 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
11. 1 lemon , zested
12. 4 thyme sprigs , leaves picked and chopped
13. 2 medium eggs , lightly beaten
14. 6 poussin
15. 300ml maple syrup (the darkest grade)
16. 3 tbsp bourbon
17. Tabasco , to taste (you can make it quite hot if you like)

How to cook deliciously - Maple & bourbon glazed poussins with cornbread stuffing

1 . Stage

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.

2 . Stage

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.

3 . Stage

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.

4 . Stage

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.

5 . Stage

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.