Greek Style Roasted 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.

GREEK STYLE ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425. In a small saucepan bring 1 cup of water to boil. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to blanch.
• Reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid, drain the tomatoes. Place the reserved cooking liquid in a medium bowl. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the bowl.
• Add the mint, olives, raisins, garlic, lemon zest, and salt to the sun-dried tomatoes, stirring to combine. Using your fingers, carefully lift the game hens' breast skin and as much of the thigh skin as you can without tearing it.
• Place ¼ of the stuffing mixture under the skin of each hen half.
• Place the hens, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan, and roast for 25 minutes or until they are cooked through. Remove the skin before eating.

ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a quarter lemon and a quarter onion in each cavity. Place the birds, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the white wine into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the juices run clear when the hen is pierced in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens.
• ROASTED GAME HENS WITH ASIAN SPICE RUB: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a quarter lemon and a quarter onion in each cavity. In a small bowl, combine the butter, ginger and five-spice powder. Rub the five-spice mixture onto the hens. Place the birds, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour the white wine into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the juices run clear when the hen is pierced in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens. Yield: 6 servings
• ROASTED GAME HENS STUFFED UNDER THE SKIN WITH HERBED RICOTTA: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the ricotta in a fine sieve and drain for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the drained ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, herbs and lemon zest. Put the garlic clove through a garlic press and into the ricotta. Mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste. Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a quarter lemon and a quarter onion in each cavity. Loosen the skin on the breasts by sliding your fingers under the skin, being careful not to pierce it. Spoon the ricotta mixture under the skin (about 4 tablespoons of stuffing per bird.) Truss the birds. Place the birds, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour the white wine into the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the juices run clear when the hen is pierced in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens. Yield: 6 servings

ROASTED CORNISH HENS WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine first seven ingredients. Transfer to a large shallow roasting pan., Brush hens with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap a bacon strip around each hen; secure with a wooden toothpick. Tie legs together. Place, breast side up, over vegetables., Bake, uncovered, 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180° and vegetables are tender. Remove hens to a serving platter; serve with vegetables.

HOISIN-ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place hens in a roasting pan. Mix together garlic, ginger, and chiles in a small bowl. Rub garlic mixture over hens and under skin; stuff cavities with cilantro sprigs. Tie legs of each hen together with kitchen twine. Cover; refrigerate 20 minutes.
• Remove hens from refrigerator, and brush with 1/2 cup hoisin. Roast 35 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally with extra hoisin. Remove from oven, and serve hot.

GREEK YOGURT CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Place Cornish game hens in a large resealable plastic bag.
• Mix Greek yogurt, lemon juice, paprika, olive oil, garlic salt, thyme, black pepper, oregano, rosemary, and savory together in a small bowl. Pour yogurt mixture over game hens, turning to coating them completely and get some of the mixture into their cavities. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, and refrigerate, 2 hours to overnight.
• Preheat grill for low heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove game hens from bags and pat dry. Discard yogurt mixture. Grill until skins starts to brown, about 3 minutes per side. Cover grill and cook game hens, rotating if needed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest parts of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove game hens from the grill and slice open on the breast side, flattening them out like open books. Return to the grill, cut-side down, cover grill, and cook until browned, about 4 minutes.

FRENCH - STYLE POT ROASTED ROCK CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F Heat the olive oil in a large flame-proof casserole and add the onion, garlic and bacon; sauté 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion has softened.
• Brush the hens with a little melted butter and season well.
• Lay the hens on top of the onion mixture and place the other vegetables around hens. Add the chicken stock, wine and herbs.
• Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and brush with the remaining melted butter; bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until golden.
• Transfer the hens to a warmed serving platter and cut each in half with poultry shears.
• Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and arrange them around the hens. Cover with foil and keep warm.
• Discard the herbs from the pan juices. In a small bowl mix the butter and flour to form a paste. Bring the liquid in the pan to a boil and then whisk in teaspoonfuls of the paste until thickened.
• Season the sauce and serve with the Rock Cornish hens and vegetables, garnished with fresh herbs.

HERB-ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over hens. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or a thermometer reads 180°.

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).

GREEK-SPICED GAME HEN WITH CLEMENTINES, ARTICHOKES, AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Sprinkle game hen with salt and pepper. Using fingers, loosen skin and rub spice blend between meat and skin.
• Slice unpeeled clementines crosswise. Arrange clementines, artichoke hearts with juices from jar, and olives in single layer in 13x9-inch metal baking pan. Place hen atop clementine mixture.
• Roast hen until golden and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Brush with pan juices. Transfer 1 hen half to each of 2 plates. Place baking pan atop burner over medium-high heat. Spoon off excess fat. Add wine to clementine mixture in baking pan. Cook until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Spoon sauce over hen halves. Spoon clementine mixture alongside and serve.