Glazed Cornish Hens With Pomegranate Rice Stuffing Recipes

POMEGRANATE-GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH WILD RICE-CHESTNUT STUFFING AND YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 2-quart saucepan, combine rice, 3 cups cold water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with rack in center of the oven. Transfer rice to a large bowl, along with chestnuts, onion, thyme, sage, parsley, and dill; stir to combine. Lightly season the cavity of each game hen with salt, and loosely fill with equal amounts of stuffing, leaving a little space in each for the rice to expand during roasting. Any remaining stuffing may be baked in a covered heatproof dish; set aside.
• Using kitchen twine, truss hens by tying the legs together tightly, looping each side of the string around a wing, and bringing the string all the way around the bird tightly to hold the legs together and the wings close to the body.
• Season hens with salt and pepper, and place breast side down on a rack set in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes, and baste with pomegranate juice. Continue basting with remaining pomegranate juice every 15 to 20 minutes. During the last 25 minutes of roasting, place the reserved stuffing into the oven to heat. When 10 minutes remain, flip the hens over and continue roasting until the hens are dark golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced at the thigh. Total cooking time for hens will be 50 to 55 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, should register 175 degrees to 180 degrees.
• Remove hens and stuffing from the oven. Transfer hens to a platter. Cover with foil, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Place roasting pan on the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the roasting pan. Add wine, if using. Sift flour into the roasting pan, and stir to combine. Slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups stock. Cook until mixture has thickened, 5 to 6 minutes. The consistency of the gravy may be adjusted with a teaspoon or two of stock or wine. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, and olive oil. Gently stir in the mint and pomegranate seeds. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place a hen on each of 4 plates. Spoon gravy over hens and garnish with parsley, feta cheese, additional stuffing, and yogurt sauce.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH WILD RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the onions and celery until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for 1 minute more. In a mixing bowl combine the onion mixture with the rice, parsley, nuts and dried fruits and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1/2 cup of the stuffing into the cavity of each hen. Tie the legs of each bird together with kitchen twine.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the remaining butter with the vinegar. Brush the birds all over with the butter mixture and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast the hens until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees F., about 80 minutes. Set the birds aside at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving. Split hens in half through the breast with a sharp knife or poultry shears, and keep the stuffing intact. Arrange birds skin-side up, on a platter, garnish with sprigs of parsley and serve.

CORNISH HENS WITH BROWN RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Rinse hens inside and out and pat dry. Season the hens, inside and out, with salt and black pepper. Place hens in a large roasting pan and set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add brown rice and thyme and stir to combine. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, cover and bring mixture to a simmer. Allow rice to cook for 3 minutes then add the sun-dried tomatoes and bell pepper. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
• Remove from heat and spoon rice mixture loosely into cavity of hens. Pour remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth into bottom of pan.
• Place hens in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until juices from thigh run clear when pierced with a fork, basting every 15 minutes with the pan juices.
• Remove the hens from the oven and transfer to a platter. Pour the pan juices over top and serve.
• Serving suggestion: Serve the stuffed hens with cranberry sauce and a side dish of fresh or frozen snow peas sauteed in a little olive oil and seasoned with salt and crushed red pepper.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and orange juice. Spoon some of the apricot mixture over the hens. Bake until golden brown and juices run clear, 30-35 minutes, basting several times with remaining apricot mixture. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CORNISH HENS STUFFED WITH RICE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion and celery in 3 tablespoons butter until tender; remove from the heat. Stir in the rice, raisins, walnuts, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stuff hens., Place on a rack in a large shallow baking pan. Rub remaining butter over skin. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 1 hour or until a thermometer reads 180°.

RICE-STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, cook and stir the rice, onion and almonds in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or until rice is lightly browned. Stir in the water, bouillon, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 16-20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in mushrooms., Sprinkle outside and cavity of hens with pepper and remaining salt. Stuff hens with rice mixture. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Melt remaining butter; brush half over hens., Cover and bake at 400° for 25-35 minutes longer or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the almonds, onion, and uncooked wild rice. Saute 5 to 10 minutes. Mix in the water, chicken bouillon cube, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 45 minutes until rice is tender and easily fluffed with a fork.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Season the Cornish game hens inside and out with salt, and stuff with the rice mixture. Place the hens breast side up on a rack in a baking pan. Brush with 1/4 cup melted butter.
• Cover the baking pan, and cook the hens 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Uncover, and continue cooking 1 hour, or until the hens are no longer pink and the juices run clear.