Cornish Hens With Lemon Tarragon Sauce

Directions

1. With sharp knife or possibly poultry shears, cut hens in half, lengthwise. Remove and throw away backbone and skin. Coat hen pcs lightly with flour and sprinkle with half of tarragon. Place hens bone side up, with legs to inside, on a microwave-safe roasting utensil.
2. In a 4-c. glass container, combine chicken broth, lemon juice, remaining tarragon and pepper. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 to 4 min, or possibly till boiling. Baste hens with half of warm broth. Cover with wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 min per lb. combined weight of hens. Halfway through cooking time, turn hens bone side down and baste with remaining broth mix. Re-cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 10 min.
3. Slice asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pcs and place in a 2-qt microwave-safe utensil with water. Cover; microwave at HIGH 3 TO 4 min. Let stand 2 min; drain and set aside. When ready to serve, add in asparagus to lemon sauce and pour over hens.