Tandoori Marinated Cornish Hens On The Rotisserie Recipes

SPICY MAPLE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pat the game hens dry and place on the prepared rack. Mix the butter, 1/3 cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar with the salt and all the spices in a bowl. Rub the birds with the butter mixture, making sure it gets in all the cavities and under the skin. Reserve any unused butter for later. Sprinkle the hens with a little extra salt and paprika.
• Roast for 30 minutes, then baste with the juices at the bottom of the baking sheet, or a little of the remaining butter. Return to the oven and roast until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh (do not touch bone) registers 165 degrees F, another 15 to 30 minutes more. Remove the hens to a cutting board or serving tray to rest and remove the rack. Pour the dry sherry into the hot baking sheet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits; add a little of the stock if necessary. Transfer the sherry mixture to a small saucepan and add any remaining butter. Melt over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons chicken stock in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry and the remaining stock to the saucepan along with the remaining 1/3 cup syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve the game hens with the sweet and spicy gravy.

ACHIOTE MARINATED CORNISH HENS STUFFED WITH CHORIZO AND MUSTARD GREENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine in a food processor the achiote paste, olive oil, cumin, coriander, oregano, and 1 tablespoon garlic. Make sure to puree all these ingredients until it becomes a paste. Rub the marinade inside the Cornish hen cavities, underneath the skin, as well as outside. Allow the hens to marinade overnight, refrigerated.
• Next day, heat up a large saute pan. Add the chorizo and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and remaining 4 tablespoons garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the mustard greens and deglaze with the chicken stock. Cook until greens have wilted, about 2 minutes, and then add the potato, green olives, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Once the stuffing has cooled, distribute it equally into the hens and place them on a sheet with a rack. Place in the oven for 1 hour.

ROASTED CORNISH HEN WITH PANZANAELLA DRESSING AND SAUTEED BROCCOLINI

Steps:

• Dressing: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Grease a 2 quart high-sided baking dish with olive oil. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and rosemary in a large bowl and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Add the toasted bread cubes and the olive oil and stir to combine. Place the mixture into the baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the dressing is crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes longer.
• Roasted Garlic Cornish Hens: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Divide the rosemary in half and place in the cavity of the hens and tie the legs together with butcher's twine. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic paste and the olive oil. Rub the mixture over the hens and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the hens in a saute pan, with a heat-resistant handle, and sear on all sides. Put in the oven and roast until just cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan and add any accumulated juices from the hen.
• Sauteed broccolini: Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broccolini and saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

CORNISH HENS ON A ROTISSERIE

Steps:

• Wash the hens under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Mix all the spices together and rub the outside of the hen making sure it is coated with the spice very well. Slide the hens on to the the rod and secure with cotton string around the end of the legs and wings.
• If you have a rotisserie, set temp to 350 or on the medium setting. Cook hens 30-40 or until temp reaches 170 in the thigh area . Let set for 5-7 minutes before serving.
• You can also use your oven set at 350,I have found it works the best if you can set the hens on a small rack inside a roasting pan ans baste the last 15 minutes.

ROTISSERIE MARINATED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Rinse and pat dry the hens. You shouldn't have any giblets in the cavity but if you do, go ahead and discard them. Place the hens in a large container that you can cover and refrigerate.
• Mix all of the other ingredients in a bowl. Pour them over the hens, making sure they are all coated. Cover the container and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. You can marinate these over night if needed.
• Remove the hens from the marinade and prepare them for cooking. If you are going to Rotisserie them, make sure you tie the legs and wigs tightly so they don't dangle and get burned.
• Cook the hens for approximately 1 hour, until meat is cooked through and hens are evenly browned.
• If you are going to cook them in the oven, preheat it to 375 degrees. Place the hens on a roasting pan and cook for approximately 1 hour, flipping the birds so they brown evenly.