Chicken: Little

Dinah Shore’s newly released “American Kitchen Cookbook” (Doubleday: $24.95) is filled with no-muss-no-fuss, glamorous recipes for entertaining, such as this one for Herbed Cornish Hens, over which tasters went ga-ga. The trick is to allow the marinade to penetrate the hens overnight or at least two hours before cooking.

Another thing: “Forget (serving) just that dainty half chicken; most people want the whole thing,” Shore says.

DINAH SHORE’S HERBED CORNISH HENS

6 (1- to 1 1/2-pound) fresh Cornish game hens

Marinade

6 sprigs rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried crumbled rosemary

Unsalted butter, melted

Salt, pepper

Sprigs watercress

Have butcher cut hens along backbone from neck to tail to butterfly.

Arrange hens in 2 flat dishes in single layer and brush with Marinade. Place sprig of rosemary under each hen or sprinkle undersides with crumbled dried rosemary. Marinate hens, covered, in refrigerator, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Transfer hens to platter, reserving rosemary sprigs. Pat dry. Reserve marinade for broiling. Brush hens on all sides with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.

Top each hen with reserved rosemary sprig and broil hens, skin side down, under broiler about 4 inches from source of heat, basting every 5 minutes or so with reserved marinade, turning once. Broil 20 to 25 minutes, or until juices run clear when thigh is pricked with tip of sharp knife. Transfer hens to heated platter and garnish with watercress. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

634 calories; 504 mg sodium; 180 mg cholesterol; 50 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 42 grams protein; 0.1 gram fiber.

Marinade

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons minced thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf, crumbled

3/4 teaspoon salt

Combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and salt.