Serve Festive Game Hens With Tantalizing Grape Stuffing Recipes

SERVE FESTIVE GAME HENS WITH TANTALIZING GRAPE STUFFING

Steps:

• Remove any giblets. Clean the hens and pat them dry, inside and out.Preheat the oven to 350°F Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Slowly cook the onion until it is translucent and sweet, about 6 minutes. Cool.In a medium bowl, combine the cooked onion, bread cubes, grapes, chicken stock, egg, almonds and spices. Mix well. Stuff the birds with the dressing mixture. Season the outside of the hens with plenty of salt and pepper and arrange them in one or two roasting pans, making sure that there is at least an inch of space between each bird for even browning. Roast the hens for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After one hour of cooking, baste the birds with any pan drippings. Continue to cook until the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165°F If the birds start to get too brown, tent them with aluminum foil.
• When done, remove the cooked hens from the pan and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Cut in half and serve.
• Notes: To serve the stuffing as a separate side dish, pat the dressing into a lightly greased loaf pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. For a crisp top, remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GRAPES IN VERMOUTH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Using a soft pastry brush, spread the soft butter all over the outside surface of hens & then put a hazelnut size piece in the cavity of ea hen. Mix shallots & parsley together & place 1/4 of the mixture in the cavity of ea hen.
• Put the hens side-by-side in a roasting pan & roast for 40-50 min or till the juices run clear when the thickest part of the flesh is pierced w/a skewer. When cooked, transfer the hens to a warmed serving platter, cover & keep warm.
• Skim most of the fat from the roasting pan, then add the grapes & vermouth. Place the pan directly over a low-heat for a few min to warm & slightly soften the grapes.
• Using a slotted spoon, lift the grapes out of the roasting pan, scatter them around the hens on the platter & cover again.
• Stir cornstarch into the cream & add to the pan juices. Cook gently (stirring) for a few min till the sauce thickens. Season w/salt & pepper to taste pref.
• Pour sauce around hens, sprinkle w/toasted pine nuts & garnish w/watercress sprigs, if using. Serve immediately.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GRAPE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Rinse the hens& pat dry inside& outside with paper towel.
• Place hens on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Season hens equally with salt, pepper, garlic, tarragon, rosemary, sage, thyme& paprika.
• Roast in oven until golden brown, or until juice runs clear& not red when hens are punctured between the thigh& breast.
• While the birds are in the oven, using a double boiler, melt the butter& stir in the flour.
• Once blended, add the chicken stock or broth& allow the mixture to thicken, stirring occasionally.
• Add the grape jelly, grape juice, sugar& the dissolved cornstarch.
• Continue to cook& stir until thickened again.
• To serve, pour some of the sauce onto the 2 plates.
• Place the hens on top of the sauce& then pour the rest of the sauce over the hens.
• Garnish the plates with a few small clusters of grapes& a few sprigs of herbs if desired.