Southern Style Cornish Hens And Corn Bread Dressing Recipes

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

CORNISH HENS STUFFED WITH CORNBREAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Thaw the cornish hens in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours before cooking

SOUTHERN STYLE CORNISH HENS AND CORN BREAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix Corn bread per instructions, bake as instructed. Sit a side until broth and hens are ready.
• Wash Cornish hens in cold water.
• Place hens in a large pot and add 3 cups of cold water, chicken broth, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of accent, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, the minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• Bring to a complete boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done. If needed, add 1/2 cup of water to prevent from sticking. It is important to check broth levels as you will use the broth to add moisture to the dressing mixture.
• While hens are cooking, brown the sausage (if you do not want to use pork sausage, ground turkey sausage can be used). Place in a large bowl until broth is ready.
• Follow instructions on the box for the rice and cook as directed. Add the rice to the sausage in a large bowl.
• In a large bowl add corn bread, sausage and rice then slowly add broth mix from cooked Cornish hens. Add enough broth until the mixture is moist (almost like corn bread mix, but not as juicy).
• After the mix is ready, add the chopped bell pepper, chopped onions and sage. Do a taste test. If needed add more accent and possibly a little garlic salt.
• Spread the mixture in a large oven pan.
• Place the hens on the top and sprinkle with parsley and paprika as garnishments.
• Baked on 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes until the bread mixture browns.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the leeks for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened. Add the apples and cook for 3 minutes more. In a medium bowl combine the leek mixture with the sage, parsley, cornbread and enough broth to moisten. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stuff the birds with the cornbread mixture and tie the legs of each hen together with kitchen twine. Melt the remaining butter. Brush the birds all over with butter and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees F., about 80 minutes. Set the birds aside at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving. Split the hens in half through the breast with a sharp knife or poultry shears, and keep the stuffing intact. Arrange birds skin-side up, on a platter, garnish with sprigs of herbs and serve.

CORNISH HENS WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400*F.
• To make stuffing:.
• Melt butter in a medium saute pan, add the onion, and cook over medium low heat for 8 minutes, until translucent. Remove from heat and add celery, parsley, cornbread, and chicken stock. Mix well, set aside.
• For the hens:.
• Rinse them inside and out, removing any pin feathers, and pat outsides dry. In a roasting pan that's just large enough to hold the hens loosely, toss in the onions and then place the hens on top, breast side up. Sprinkle the insides of the hens with salt and pepper and loosely fill the cavities with the stuffing. If there is any stuffing leftover, bake it in a separate pan until heated through.
• Tie the legs of each hen together and tuck the wings under the bodies. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 50-60 minutes, until skin is browned and the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
• Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for about 15 minutes. Serve a whole hen per person. Enjoy!