Roasted Cornish Hens With Dried Cherry Stuffing Recipes

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil and poultry seasoning. Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture. Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans. Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with some green bell pepper, celery and onion. Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

ROASTED CORNISH HENS WITH DRIED CHERRY STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F
• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the dried cherries, sage and broth and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the cubed bread, salt and pepper and set aside.
• Season the Cornish hen halves with salt and pepper.
• Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Form the stuffing into 4 mounds on the baking sheet. Place 1/2 of a Cornish hen on top of each mound of stuffing. Roast the hens for 45 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.
• When the hens are finished, transfer them to a serving platter and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

CORNISH HEN WITH TART CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine sea salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and paprika in a bowl. Place hens on a baking sheet and evenly brush with 5 tablespoons butter. Rub hens with spice mixture.
• Bake hens in preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour with white wine. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Mix cherries, red wine, orange juice, and brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the sauce; whisk until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle cherry sauce over cooked hens.

HERB-STUFFED ROASTED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Gently lift skin from hen breasts and place sage leaves under skin. Place lemon wedges and a third of the onions in the cavities. Tuck wings under hens; tie legs together. Place in a small greased roasting pan. , Combine butter, oil, lemon juice and garlic; spoon half of mixture over hens. Sprinkle with salt and pepper., Bake 30 minutes. Add potatoes and remaining onions to pan. Brush hens with remaining butter mixture. Bake until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175° and potatoes are tender, 40-45 minutes longer., Remove hens to a serving platter. Stir potatoes and onions to coat with pan drippings. Serve with hens.

ROAST CORNISH GAME HENS WITH SAVORY FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• Thaw hen, if frozen. Rinse hen with cold water and pat dry. For stuffing, in a small saucepan combine water and margarine or butter; cook until margarine melts. Remove from heat. Stir in croutons, fruit bits, onion, and bouillon granules.
• Spoon stuffing into body cavity. Combine mayonnaise and poultry seasoning; coat hen with mayonnaise mixture.
• Place hen, breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until drumstick moves easily in socket.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine cranberries, brown sugar, and orange juice concentrate. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until cranberry skins pop.
• Serve with cranberry sauce, if desired.

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.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS WITH POMEGRANATE-RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Mix the cinnamon, 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; sprinkle all over the hens and inside the cavities. Place the hens on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, soak the grape leaves in water 1 hour.
• Bring the chicken broth and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; add the rice blend and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger and cumin and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; add the cooked rice, pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley and cilantro; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the egg yolks and stir to combine.
• Make the glaze: Bring the orange juice and pomegranate molasses to a boil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Fill the cavity of each hen with about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture (reserve the rest); tie the legs together with twine. Roast 20 minutes, then brush with the pomegranate glaze. Continue roasting, glazing every 10 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. (Rotate the hens halfway through cooking; if the skin gets too dark, cover loosely with foil.)
• Meanwhile, drain the grape leaves and pat dry. Use some of the leaves to line a 9-inch pie dish. Fill with the reserved rice mixture and drizzle with 2 tablespoons water. Cover with the remaining grape leaves, shiny side up, then cover with foil. (If you aren't using grape leaves, spoon the rice into a pie dish, sprinkle with water and cover with foil.) After the hens have roasted about 20 minutes, transfer the rice to the oven and cook until heated through, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer the hens to a platter and add some parsley and cilantro sprigs and pomegranate seeds. Peel the grape leaves off the top of the rice and serve alongside the hens.

ROASTED CORNISH HENS WITH CHORIZO CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• For the Cornish hens: The night before you plan to cook, rub the chickens all over with Aaron's Achiote Paste (underneath the skin, on the skin, inside the cavities). Let them marinate, covered, overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the stuffing: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook Aaron's Chorizo, breaking it up with a spoon and stirring occasionally as it cooks, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have browned, about 10 minutes. Add the cornbread and cilantro. Gradually stir in enough of the stock so that the stuffing is not too dry but at the same time not too wet. Stir gently and well.
• Divide the stuffing equally and spoon into the cavity of each bird. Arrange the birds with plenty of space between them on a rack on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Roast the chickens until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F, about 40 minutes.
• Combine the lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, achiote paste, oregano, cumin and garlic in a blender. Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a smooth vinaigrette. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Put the ground beef and pork in a large bowl. Add the vinegar, salt and garlic, and mix well (your hands are the best tools for this job). Sprinkle with the oregano, canela, pepper, star anise and cloves, and mix well. Add the wine and sugar and mix well.
• Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Put the chile powder in a small bowl, pour in the boiling water and stir well to make a paste. Let it cool to room temperature. Work the paste into the meat with your fingers until it's well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate overnight before you use it. Store in 2-ounce portions in zip-top bags in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CHERRY-RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F In skillet melt 2 tbsp butter over med heat.
• Add celery and shallots; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 4 minute Remove from heat; stir in rice, cherries, apricots, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.
• Rub hens with remaining butter; sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
• Fill cavities with stuffing.
• Place on rack in roasting pan.
• Roast 15 minute Reduce oven temp to 350F roast 45 minute.
• Stir 1 tbsp water into jam; brush over hens.
• Roast until meat thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180F, about 15 minute.