Flaming Sherried Rock Cornish Game Hens 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.

HERB-BRINED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, sage, garlic, thyme, rosemary and 1 quart water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add the cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Place a turkey-sized oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add hens. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and discard brine; pat hens dry., Meanwhile, place the peppercorns and garlic in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the butter, 3 tablespoons olive oil and herbs; cover and process until smooth. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from hens; rub half the butter mixture under skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks; tie drumsticks together. Rub remaining butter mixture over skin., In a 15x10x1-in. baking pan, toss the Brussels sprouts and onions with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer. Place hens, breast side up, on top of the vegetables. Bake at 450° until thermometer inserted in breast reads 165°, 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if hens brown too quickly., Remove hens and vegetables to a serving platter; cover and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. If desired, garnish with additional herbs.

BAKED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a small bowl combine the 1/2 cup melted butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano and parsley.
• Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper to taste, then stuff with equal amounts butter/vegetable mixture. Place stuffed birds in a 9x13 inch baking dish, breast side up. Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter.
• Cover dish and bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove cover and brown at 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).

CORNISH GAME HEN WITH STUFFING AND SHERRIED GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Butter 11x7-inch baking pan. Bring 6 tablespoons broth just to simmer in medium saucepan; remove from heat. Mix in stuffing mix and 1 teaspoon sage. Spoon stuffing in 4 equal mounds in prepared pan. Season hen quarters with 1 teaspoon sage and salt and pepper. Press 1 hen quarter onto each stuffing mound.
• Bake until hen is golden brown and juices run clear when hen is pierced with skewer, about 20 minutes. Transfer hen and stuffing to 2 plates; tent with foil to keep warm. Do not clean baking pan.
• Place liver and remaining 1/4 cup broth in same baking pan. Set pan over medium heat. Boil until slightly thickened, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Mix in dry Sherry; simmer 1 minute. Spoon gravy over hen pieces and serve immediately.

CORNISH GAME HENS SHERRY FLAMBE

Steps:

• Remove giblets from defrosted birds.
• Melt the butter in a heavy skillet with heat-proof handle.
• Season hens with salt and pepper, then brown lightly all over in the butter, turning frequently. This should take about 20 minutes.
• When hens are browned, add sherry to the pan and transfer it to the oven.
• Roast birds 45-60 minutes, until they are tender, basting often.
• Transfer hens to heated (and heatproof) serving dish. Warm brandy in a small saucepan and ignite it. Pour over the hens and serve flaming.