Hoisin Barbecued Game Hens With Stir Fried Vegetables Recipes

BARBECUED VIETNAMESE 5-SPICE CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• For Hens: Halve the hens through the breast. Flatten the breasts with the palm of your hand.
• In a mortar or food processor, pound or mince the garlic, shallots and sugar. Add the salt, pepper, five-spice powder, fish sauce, soy sauce and sherry. Mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture over the hens. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Prepare a fire in a barbecue. Let the coals burn down to medium-hot. Set the hens skin-side down on the rack and grill over medium-hot coals for 15 minutes. Turn and grill for 15 minutes longer, or until they are thoroughly cooked and the skin is crisp and browned. Serve with Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce.
• For Dipping Sauce: In a mortar, pound the garlic, chile pepper and sugar into a paste. (Or blend in a food processor or blender.) Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the fish sauce, lime juice and water; stir to blend. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until ready to serve. Strain into dipping saucers. Yields about 3/4 cup.

CORNISH GAME HENS ORIENTAL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Rinse hens under cold water until water runs clear and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place hens in either a baking dish or small roasting pan just large enough to hold the hens.
• In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce with undiluted orange juice concentrate, sesame oil, honey and curry powder until the honey dissolves.
• Gently place your thumb between skin and breast, lifting the skin. Tilt bird upward and pour about 2 tablespoons of the mixture under the skin. Drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon in cavity. Repeat on the second hen, third hen and fourth hen.
• Pour remainder of the soy mixture over the hens and rub evenly over skins. Tightly cover dish or pan with aluminum foil or lid. Roast in center of preheated oven for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and baste hens with liquid from the pan. To prevent sauce from burning, stir water into pan juices.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Return hens to oven and continue to roast, UNCOVERED, for about 20 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with pan-liquid, until a rich glaze forms on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thigh reads 170 degrees.
• Remove pan from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving. Place hens on individual plates, then spoon pan juices overtop. Serve with Stove Top chicken stuffing and mashed potatoes, or your favorite roasted veggies, or maple squash over bok choy.

ROASTED GAME HENS WITH CARAMELIZED ROOT VEGETABLES AND DRIED-CURRANT SAUCE

Steps:

• For caramelized root vegetables:
• Melt butter with oil in very large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add rutabagas and next 4 ingredients; sauté until vegetables are caramelized and tender, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Stir in chestnuts, garlic, and thyme; sauté 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring frequently, until heated through before serving.
• For hens:
• Mix 1/4 cup thyme, shallots, oil, orange peel, garlic, and crushed juniper berries in small bowl for marinade. Rub marinade all over hens. Place hens in large roasting pan; cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Pour 1 1/2 cups broth into roasting pan with hens. Sprinkle hens with salt and pepper. Cover pan tightly with foil. Roast until hens are cooked through and juices run clear when thighs are pierced with fork, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Preheat broiler.
• Pour pan juices from hens into small saucepan; add dried currants and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes (sauce will be thin). Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, broil hens until lightly browned, watching closely to avoid burning, about 4 minutes.
• Place 1 hen half on each plate. Divide caramelized vegetables among plates. Spoon sauce over hens and serve.

HOISIN MARINATED GRILLED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Put the hens in a baking dish.
• Mix the hoisin sauce, red wine, scallions, ginger, garlic and sesame oil together in a bowl and pour the marinade over the hens.
• Cover and refrigerate the hens for 1-2 days.
• Preheat grill to medium heat.
• Put the hens on the grill bone side down and grill, covered, about 10 minutes.
• Gently turn them over and continue grilling for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the juices run clear.
• Let the hens rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!