Cornish Game Hens With Grapes In Vermouth Recipes

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GRAPES IN VERMOUTH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Using a soft pastry brush, spread the soft butter all over the outside surface of hens & then put a hazelnut size piece in the cavity of ea hen. Mix shallots & parsley together & place 1/4 of the mixture in the cavity of ea hen.
• Put the hens side-by-side in a roasting pan & roast for 40-50 min or till the juices run clear when the thickest part of the flesh is pierced w/a skewer. When cooked, transfer the hens to a warmed serving platter, cover & keep warm.
• Skim most of the fat from the roasting pan, then add the grapes & vermouth. Place the pan directly over a low-heat for a few min to warm & slightly soften the grapes.
• Using a slotted spoon, lift the grapes out of the roasting pan, scatter them around the hens on the platter & cover again.
• Stir cornstarch into the cream & add to the pan juices. Cook gently (stirring) for a few min till the sauce thickens. Season w/salt & pepper to taste pref.
• Pour sauce around hens, sprinkle w/toasted pine nuts & garnish w/watercress sprigs, if using. Serve immediately.

CORNISH GAME HENS IN VERMOUTH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F/230°C Remove giblets from hens, and reserve for other uses. Rinse hens with cold water, pat dry, then split lengthwise butterfly-style with a sharp knife (or an electric knife).
• Sprinkle green onions in a 12x8x2-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; place the split hens over onions.
• Combine vermouth, lemon juice, and soy sauce and pour over the hens.
• Sprinkle lightly with paprika and pepper.
• Bake at 450°F/230°C for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F/180°C, and bake an additional 25 minutes or until done.

CORNISH HENS WITH SWEET VERMOUTH GARLIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Pat hens dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, cut sides down, in a large heavy shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) until just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• While hens roast, simmer vermouth, garlic, thyme, and 1/2 cup water, uncovered, in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until garlic is soft, about 15 minutes. Discard thyme. Mash garlic into sauce with a fork and simmer until reduced to a glaze (about 3 tablespoons). Brush glaze onto hens and roast 5 minutes more. Pour remaining 1/2 cup water into saucepan, swirling to dissolve any remaining glaze, and reserve.
• Transfer hens to a serving dish and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes. Straddle baking pan over 2 burners, then add reserved liquid from saucepan and deglaze baking pan by boiling over moderate heat, scraping up brown bits, until reduced slightly. Season pan juices with salt and pepper and pour over hens.

HERBED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. Rub cavities of hens with salt and pepper. Place hens, breast sides up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.
• Mix remaining ingredients; brush hens with part of mixture. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone. Roast uncovered about 1 hour, brushing with butter mixture 5 or 6 times, until juice of hens is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F). Discard any remaining butter mixture.
• To serve, cut each hen in half with scissors, cutting along backbone from tail to neck and down center of breast.

ROASTED CORNISH HENS WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place the hens in a shallow baking dish without crowding. Rub hens with oil and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Cut onion in half. Place the halves cut side down around the hens. Arrange gizzards and necks around the hens.
• Place baking dish on top of stove over medium-high heat. Turn the hens over in the dish to coat them with the oil. Brown them for a few minutes. Arrange hens on their sides, place in the oven and bake 15 minutes, basting often.
• Turn the hens on the other side and continue baking 15 minutes, basting often.
• Turn the hens breast side up. Bake about 10 minutes, basting often.
• Transfer the hens to a heated serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.
• Skim off the fat from the pan liquid. Place the dish on top of stove and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the sherry and vinegar and stir to dissolve any brown particles that may cling to the bottom of pan. Strain sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook down by half. Add the honey, broth and tomato paste. Stir and add any liquid that may have accumulated inside or around the birds. Add the grapes and bring to a boil.
• Cook about 1 minute, stirring. Swirl in the butter, add salt and pepper, if necessary. Pour the sauce over the hens and serve.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.

CORNISH HENS WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath. Squeeze remaining lemon halves over hens. Rub butter all over hens. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Roast hens, rotating pan halfway through, until skin turns golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with lemon wedges.