- 2 whole heads of garlic
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Cornish hens (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb each), rinsed and patted dry
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup bottled mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- Special equipment: kitchen string; a small (13- by 9-inch) roasting pan; an instant-read thermometer
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
- Trim off and discard about 1/4 inch from top of garlic heads to expose cloves, then put heads on a sheet of foil. Spoon oil over garlic, then wrap up foil tightly to enclose. Roast garlic on oven rack until very soft, about 40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, season hens inside and out with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Tie legs together with string and tuck wing tips under. Transfer to roasting pan and roast alongside garlic until hens are golden brown and thermometer registers 170°F when inserted into leg joint, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes.
- Unwrap garlic carefully and cool slightly, then squeeze pulp into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients (including salt and pepper plus 2 tablespoons pan juices from hens if desired) and stir until combined well.
- Halve hens lengthwise. Serve with aioli.