Cranberry Apple Stuffed Cornish Hens Recipes

CRANBERRY-STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread out diced bread on a rimmed baking sheet; toastin oven, turning occasionally, until light brown and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.
• Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add leek, mushrooms, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in bread, chopped sage, parsley, mustard, thyme, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup broth.
• Spoon stuffing into bird cavities; tie legs together with kitchen twine. Rub birds with butter, then sprinkle with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Arrange birds on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thighs (avoiding bone) registers 170 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer rack with birds to a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest.
• Set roasting pan on top of stove across two burners; set heat to medium-high. Add port and remaining 1/4 cup broth; deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add remaining 1/4 cup dried cranberries; cook, stirring, until sauce reduces slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place birds on a serving platter, and drizzle sauce over them. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired, and serve.

CRANBERRY APPLE STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Rinse cornish hens and pat dry. Season liberally with kosher salt and pepper on the outside and inside the cavities.
• Mix the apples, cranberries, rosemary, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small bowl.
• Spoon the mixture into the cavities of the cornish hens.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and place in a 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet or appropriate sized baking dish.
• Scatter the potatoes around the cornish hens in the skillet.
• Drizzle both hens and potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Cut the butter into small pieces and dot on top of the chicken as well as the potatoes.
• Place the skillet in the oven and roast for about 1 hour until the skin has turned golden brown and crispy, the potatoes start to shrivel and the internal temperature of the chicken is about 180 degrees.
• Remove from the oven, let rest a few minutes before carving. Serve with accumulated juices from the bottom of the skillet.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE

Steps:

• Prepare the glaze: Combine cranberries and wine in saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Stir in honey and continue to simmer 2 minutes.
• Strain glaze, stir in oil and set aside.
• Prepare the game hens and stuffing: Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, add onion, celery and cranberries.
• Saute for 3 minutes.
• Add sauteed mixture to the French bread cubes.
• Let cool.
• Stir in chicken broth, parsley, sage, thyme, 1/4 Tsp.
• salt and 1/8 Tsp.
• pepper.
• Stuff game hens with the stuffing and tie drumsticks together with kitchen string.
• Place hens in a roasting pan.
• Brush some of glaze over each game hen and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
• Place in a preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting for 45 minutes longer.
• Baste hens with glaze and sprinkle with salt and pepper (salt& pepper is optional, I didn't do it) twice more during the cooking time.
• Remove hens from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
• Cut strings and serve.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a large skillet or saucepan, saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in cornbread, bread crumbs, pimientos, broth, egg, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well. , Stuff each hen with 3/4 cup stuffing. Place extra stuffing in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Place hens breast side up on a rack in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 375° for 45 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the remaining butter; add garlic, lemon zest, mint and remaining salt and pepper. Brush over hens. Bake 15-30 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, for 30 minutes.

APPLE-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Tie legs of each hen together; tuck wings under hens. Place on a greased rack in a roasting pan. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and apple juice concentrate until smooth. Stir in the lemon slices and cinnamon. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened., Spoon half of the glaze over the hens. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with remaining glaze.

CRANBERRY-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In 1-qt. saucepan, combine the gravy, cranberry sauce, mustard and orange zest. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until glaze is smooth., Cut hens in half lengthwise; rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on rack with drip pan, skin side down; spoon half of the glaze over hens. , Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Turn hens; bake 25 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with remaining glaze., Serve on bed of wild rice and garnish with twists of thinly sliced orange.

CORNISH HENS WITH APPLE-RAISIN STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and apple; cook and stir until tender. Stir in remaining stuffing ingredients. In ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan, spread stuffing.
• Split each game hen in half. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place hen halves, skin side up, over stuffing. In 1-quart saucepan, melt jelly with 2 tablespoons butter over low heat; brush over hens.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until hens are fork-tender and until juice of hens is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F).