Roasted Game Hens With Foie Gras Butter Recipes

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Pat the hens dry with a paper towel. Use your index finger to loosen the skin on the top of the hen and slip a thin slice of butter under the skin on top of each breast. Add a few rosemary and thyme leaves (or herb of choice). Repeat for each hen. Put a quarter of a lemon in the cavity of each hen along with a clove of garlic and a sprig of fresh rosemary and thyme (or herb of choice). Truss the hens by tying the wings and legs.
• Rub each hen all over with some extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place then hens on the rack of a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil, spacing them out so they are as far apart from each other as possible. This will enable their skins to get browned and crispy.
• Place the hens in the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes.
• While the hens are roasting, combine the chicken broth and wine in a bowl.
• After the hens have been roasting for 25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Pour the broth/wine mixture over the hens and continue to roast for 30 minutes, basting the hens with the juices at the bottom of the pan every 10 minutes or less. The hens are done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. If you prefer darker skins, turn up the temperature to broil for a couple more minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
• Carefully remove the hens and pour the juices from their cavities into the roasting pan. Transfer the hens to a warmed platter, remove the trussing string, and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes until the liquid is a thin sauce-like consistency. Serve the hens whole per guest or cut in half lengthwise and place cavity-down on each serving plate. Drizzle the sauce over the hens and garnish with fresh herb sprigs and a slice of lemon. Serve immediately.

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.

ROASTED HEN STUFFED WITH FOIE-GRAS BUTTER AND BLACK TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place 6 tablespoons of the butter and the foie-gras terrine in a food processor and process until smooth. Take out 1/2 cup of the butter and refrigerate the rest. Remove the hen's wishbone by lifting the skin around the neck, locating the bone and scraping away the meat with a small knife. Detach the bone from the wing joint and pull away. Using your fingers, separate the skin from the meat over the breast and legs.
• Fill a tipless pastry bag with 1/2 cup of butter. Slip the bag under the skin and pipe in butter over the legs and breast. With your fingers on the skin, press the butter evenly over the meat. Freeze for 10 minutes.
• Slice 1 1/2 ounces of the truffles and chop the rest. Slip the sliced truffles under the chicken skin, covering the butter. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the hen in a roasting pan and season the skin with salt and pepper. Melt 1/2 cup of butter and brush generously over the skin. Roast 30 minutes, basting with the melted butter. Lower the temperature to 375 degrees and baste until the hen is cooked, about 45 minutes.
• Boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons of butter, the chopped truffles and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the hen from the pan and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, degrease the pan juices. Place over medium heat, add the demi-glace and simmer 1 minute. Turn heat to low and whisk in the remaining foie-gras butter.Season with pepper and salt if needed. Carve the hen.
• To serve, divide the pasta among 4 plates. Surround with the sauce and top with slices of the hen. Serve.

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.

GARLIC PAN- ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until almost smoking. Add the game hens, skin side down, and saute for 5 minutes or until golden. With tongs, turn the hens over, add the garlic and saute for another 5 minutes.
• Add the vinegar and broth which will bubble up, then the thyme and rosemary. Cover and simmer, over low heat, for 25 to 30 minutes or until the juices run clear, not rosy, when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Transfer the hens to a plate. Stir the mustard into the juices in the skillet and boil down furiously, until 1/2 cup of liquid remains, scraping the brown cooking particles into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, spoon over the hens and serve immediately.

CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the giblets from the hens, and rinse them inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outsides dry. Place the hens on top of the sliced onion.
• Pack the cavities of the hens with the cornbread stuffing.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the hens. Rub the hens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast the hens for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Break the cornbread into pieces and place the pieces in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture to the cornbread. Add the celery, chicken stock, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix together.
• Yield: 2 servings

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

HONEY ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Split hen in half. Wash and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Brush both sides with 3 Tbs butter.
• Place breast side down on a rack in a shallow pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Turn. Brush with butter and bake for 25 minutes.
• Mix honey with 1 1/2 Tbs melted butter. Brush half the mixture on the hen. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and brush with remaining honey mixture. Bake for 15 minutes longer.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.

ROASTED GAME HENS WITH FOIE GRAS "BUTTER"

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450°F. Season the interior cavities of the game hens with the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix the olive oil and garlic and rub all over the outside of the hens, or rub under the skin (see box). Set on a rack in a roasting pan and roast until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, about 45 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, and split in half lengthwise.While the hens are roasting, make the foie butter. Combine the wine and onion in a small skillet and boil over medium-high heat until the liquid reduces to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and puree in a mini food processor with the pâté until smooth. Top each portion of roasted hen with some of the "butter."From Homemade In A Hurry. Text copyright © 2006 by Andrew Schloss. Cover photograph copyright © 2006 by Noel Barnhurst. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

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°.