Grilled Cornish Game Hens with Lemon, Sumac, and Date Relish

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup kosher salt 
• 6.3 pound cornish game hens 
• 8 servings dates 
• 4  garlic clove peeled
• 2 tablespoons sumac powder 
• 10 slices optional: lemon very thin
• 1 cup juice of lemon fresh divided
• 0.5 cup olive oil 
• 9 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• whisk
• pot
• grill

Directions

1. Combine 9 cups water, 1/2 cup lemon juice,and coarse salt in large nonreactive pot.Stir until salt dissolves.
2. Add hen halves andpress to submerge. Refrigerate hens in brine,weighing down with heavy plate if needed,at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
3. Whisk 1/2 cup lemon juice, oil, and sumacin medium bowl. Press in garlic cloves; seasonwith pepper.
4. Let dressing stand 15 minutes tothicken slightly, whisking occasionally.
5. Drain hens. Pat dry with paper towels;arrange on large rimmed baking sheet. Usingfingertips, loosen skin of breast meat on eachhen half.
6. Brush some dressing under skinonto breast meat of each hen; place lemonslice onto breast meat and pull skin over tocover.
7. Brush hens all over with remainingdressing. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hoursahead.
8. Let stand at room temperature.
9. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
10. Place hens, skin side up, on grill rack. Coverand grill until bottom sides are brown, about8 minutes. Turn hens over; grill uncovereduntil skin sides brown, about 6 minutes.Continue to grill until hens are cookedthrough, turning occasionally, about 9 minuteslonger.
11. Transfer hens to platter.
12. Serve with
13. Date Relish.
14. *Ground, dried, reddish-purple berriesthat grow wild throughout the Middle East;available at specialty foods stores and Middle
15. Eastern markets.