2 teaspoons dried untreated lavender flowers
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
4 poussins (young chickens; about 1 pound each) or 4 small Cornish
hens (about 1 1/4 pounds each)
1 small lemon, halved
1/4 cup Sauternes

Garnish: lavender and thyme leaves

With a mortar and pestle coarsely crush lavender and in a small bowl
stir together with butter, thyme, zest, and salt and pepper to taste
until combined well. Spoon mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and
form into a 4-inch-long log. Chill compound butter, wrapped well in
plastic wrap, until firm, at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 475° F.

Discard gizzards from birds and trim necks flush with bodies if
necessary. Rinse birds inside and out and pat dry. Starting at neck
end of each bird, slide fingers between meat and skin to loosen skin
(be careful not to tear skin). Cut butter into sixteen 1/4-inch-thick
slices and gently push 4 slices under skin of each bird, putting 1 slice
over each breast half and thigh. Tie legs of each bird together with
kitchen string and secure wings to sides with wooden picks or
bamboo skewers.

Arrange birds in a flameproof roasting pan large enough to hold them
without crowding. Gently rub birds with lemon halves, squeezing juice
over them, and season with salt and pepper. Roast birds in middle of
oven 30 minutes (for poussins) to 45 minutes (for Cornish hens), or
until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh
(be careful not to touch bone) registers 170° F.

Transfer birds to a platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Add Sauternes to roasting pan and deglaze over moderate heat,
scraping up brown bits. Transfer jus to a small saucepan. Skim fat
from jus and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup.

Garnish birds with herbs and serve with jus.

Makes 4 Servings.