Roasted Cornish Hens With Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing Recipes

CHORIZO AND CORN BREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Cook the chorizo in a skillet over medium heat until the fat has been rendered, about 5 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the chorizo and cook until the vegetables have carmelized, about 10 minutes.
• Add the crumbled corn bread, chicken stock, and cilantro. Make sure that the stuffing itself is not to dry but at the same time not to wet.
• Place the stuffing into a buttered casserole and bake in the oven until heated through and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the giblets from the hens, and rinse them inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outsides dry. Place the hens on top of the sliced onion.
• Pack the cavities of the hens with the cornbread stuffing.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the hens. Rub the hens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast the hens for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Break the cornbread into pieces and place the pieces in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture to the cornbread. Add the celery, chicken stock, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix together.
• Yield: 2 servings

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the leeks for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened. Add the apples and cook for 3 minutes more. In a medium bowl combine the leek mixture with the sage, parsley, cornbread and enough broth to moisten. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stuff the birds with the cornbread mixture and tie the legs of each hen together with kitchen twine. Melt the remaining butter. Brush the birds all over with butter and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast 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 the 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 herbs and serve.

CORNISH HENS WITH CHORIZO CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Cook the Mexican chorizo in a dry skillet over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon.
• Once the chorizo is crisp, pull it out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Remove 2 tablespoons of the chorizo drippings and set that aside as well. You'll be using that to season the Cornish hens.
• In the same pan, add the carrots, onions and celery, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Saute the veggies for 10 minutes, or until tender.
• Add the garlic and rosemary, and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Combine the chorizo, veggies, cornbread, cranberries, chicken broth egg, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of chives.
• Transfer the mixture to an oven proof dish.
• Cover with foil and refrigerate while you season the Cornish hens.
• Combine the chorizo drippings, olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, salt and pepper to create a flavorful paste.
• Spread the mixture all over the Cornish hens, both inside and out.
• Place the Cornish hens on a baking sheet lined with a rack.
• Tie the legs together with butchers twine so the Cornish hens cook evenly and keep their shape. Also, tuck the wings back so the tips don't burn while they roast.
• Roast the Cornish hens at 400°F for 20 minutes, then lower to 375°F and roast until the internal temperature reads 165°F on a meat thermometer (this should take another 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the hens).
• To get the skin nice and crisp, baste the hens every 20 minutes with chicken stock or olive oil.
• Pop your chorizo cornbread stuffing into the oven with the Cornish hens during the last 20-25 minutes of cooking, just to crisp up the edges.
• Serve the roasted Cornish hens on a bed of the chorizo cornbread stuffing, and garnish with the remaining fresh chives.

PAN ROASTED CORNISH HEN WITH BLUE CORN CHORIZO DRESSING WITH CRANBERRY MANGO RELISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook the chorizo, garlic, celery, onion, carrot and poblano for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the cornbread, thyme, sage, cilantro, egg and stock and mix well. Place in 12 by 15-inch baking pan and bake for 25 minutes.
• In a hot skillet combine cranberries and brown sugar, cook until berries start to pop. Add all other ingredients, except cilantro, and heat, (add a spoon of water if sauce appears dry). Just before serving, toss in the cilantro.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a hot roasting pan, melt the butter and oil. Season the hens with salt and pepper to taste and sear until browned all over. Place, breast side down in the pan and roast for approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Check for doneness by seeing if juices run clear when bird is tipped. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Plate hens alongside of the dressing and serve with the relish.

CORNISH HENS WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400*F.
• To make stuffing:.
• Melt butter in a medium saute pan, add the onion, and cook over medium low heat for 8 minutes, until translucent. Remove from heat and add celery, parsley, cornbread, and chicken stock. Mix well, set aside.
• For the hens:.
• Rinse them inside and out, removing any pin feathers, and pat outsides dry. In a roasting pan that's just large enough to hold the hens loosely, toss in the onions and then place the hens on top, breast side up. Sprinkle the insides of the hens with salt and pepper and loosely fill the cavities with the stuffing. If there is any stuffing leftover, bake it in a separate pan until heated through.
• Tie the legs of each hen together and tuck the wings under the bodies. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 50-60 minutes, until skin is browned and the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
• Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for about 15 minutes. Serve a whole hen per person. Enjoy!