Roasted Game Hen With Fresh Laurel And Wild Pepper Over Creamy Polenta Recipes

SUPER EASY SUPER MOIST OVEN ROASTED HEN

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• 2. Rinse hen with cold tap water; drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• 3. Generously sprinkle seasonings inside of hen. Place 3 to 4 Tablespoons cubed butter inside cavity of hen. Stuff celery, onion, and apple inside cavity as well. Generously rub outside of hen with soft butter; cover with strips of bacon. Secure bacon with toothpicks. Generously salt and pepper outside and dust lightly with poultry seasoning.
• 4. Bake 25 minutes per pound or until internal meat reaches 180 degrees F internal heat (using meat thermometer). NOTE: if you purchase hen with a thermometer, don't remove from oven until it pops out. Once the hen is baked, remove from oven and cover with a tent of aluminum foil; allow it to rest 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

ROASTED GAME HEN WITH FRESH LAUREL AND WILD PEPPER OVER CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Remove breast and leg meat from the hens. Marinate for 1 hour in white wine, pepper, laurel leaves, olive oil, and parsley.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roast the hens over the laurel leaves. Salt, to taste. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, skin side up.
• Bring stock to boil. Whisk in polenta and cook over low heat 15 to 20 minutes when thick and pulls away from the side of the pan. Saute garlic and butter and whisk into polenta. Season with salt and pepper.

ROASTED GAME HENS STUFFED UNDER THE SKIN WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put 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 cloves through a garlic press and add to the mixture. Combine well, adding the salt and pepper to taste.
• Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a lemon quarter and an onion quarter 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, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Discard the trussing string and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens.

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°.