Pistachio Crusted Cornish Game Hens Recipes

GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH APRICOT PISTACHIO DRESSING

Steps:

• Brining the hens before roasting improves their flavor: Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt in a clean bucket filled with 5 quarts of water. Add prepared hens and soak for 2 hours. Rinse thoroughly; pat dry.
• Adjust oven rack to upper middle position, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in apricots, then spread mixture onto a large (about 18-by-12-inch) lipped cookie sheet. Lay hens over the mixture. Mix jam and vinegar, and brush all but a few tablespoons over hens.
• Bake hens, brushing 2 or 3 times with remaining jam mixture and accumulated pan juices, until hens are golden brown and juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Turn heat from bake to broil, then cook until hens are spotty brown, watching carefully so they don't burn, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a large platter with tongs, then cut in half at the breastbone to create individual servings.
• Return apricot dressing to the oven and broil to evaporate some of the excess liquid, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in pistachios and parsley. Spoon in a mound next to hens.

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 ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and put a baking rack on top.
• Mix together the grill seasoning, dressing, and chopped herbs in a small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons. Generously rub the hens inside and out with the herb and dressing mixture. Stuff each hen with a sprig of each herb and a piece of lemon.
• In a large bowl, combine the carrots, onions and potatoes with the reserved 2 tablespoons of dressing mixture, a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Put the vegetables in a large roasting pan and arrange the hens on top. Roast them until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, about 50 to 55 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil and let the hens rest for 5 minutes before serving. Transfer the hens to a large serving tray with the roasted vegetables.

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).

PISTACHIO CRUSTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a food processor crush pistachios until crumb-like.
• Mix grated parmesan cheese and pistachios in a small bowl.
• In an 8 x 8 casserole dish baste the game hen with the melted butter.
• Pat the pistachio mixture onto the bird, covering entirely.
• Bake at 350°F for 1 hr 10 minutes.
• Internal temperature of bird should be 175-180°F.