Spice Rubbed Rock Cornish Hens Recipes

SPICE-RUBBED CORNISH HENS WITH HAROSETH STUFFING AND SHERRY JUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Whisk together spices, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and oil in a small bowl.
• Pat hens dry and stuff cavity of each with 1/3 cup haroseth. Place hens in a large flameproof roasting pan and rub all over with spice mixture, including underneath skin of breast meat (loosen skin gently with your fingers). Tuck wings underneath body, then secure legs together with a wooden pick or tie with kitchen string.
• Roast hens 20 minutes, then brush with pan drippings. Continue to roast, basting every 10 minutes, until juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, 25 to 30 minutes more (45 to 50 minutes total). Transfer hens to a cutting board.
• Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners and boil drippings, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Carefully add Sherry (it may ignite) and boil 2 minutes (or until flames subside). Add water and boil, stirring, until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to a measuring cup and let stand 1 minute, then skim off fat (or use a fat separator).
• Serve hens, halved if desired, with sauce on the side.
• What to drink:
• Yarden Galilee Cabernet Sauvignon '05

SPICY MAPLE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pat the game hens dry and place on the prepared rack. Mix the butter, 1/3 cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar with the salt and all the spices in a bowl. Rub the birds with the butter mixture, making sure it gets in all the cavities and under the skin. Reserve any unused butter for later. Sprinkle the hens with a little extra salt and paprika.
• Roast for 30 minutes, then baste with the juices at the bottom of the baking sheet, or a little of the remaining butter. Return to the oven and roast until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh (do not touch bone) registers 165 degrees F, another 15 to 30 minutes more. Remove the hens to a cutting board or serving tray to rest and remove the rack. Pour the dry sherry into the hot baking sheet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits; add a little of the stock if necessary. Transfer the sherry mixture to a small saucepan and add any remaining butter. Melt over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons chicken stock in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry and the remaining stock to the saucepan along with the remaining 1/3 cup syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve the game hens with the sweet and spicy gravy.

CORNISH HENS ON A ROTISSERIE

Steps:

• Wash the hens under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Mix all the spices together and rub the outside of the hen making sure it is coated with the spice very well. Slide the hens on to the the rod and secure with cotton string around the end of the legs and wings.
• If you have a rotisserie, set temp to 350 or on the medium setting. Cook hens 30-40 or until temp reaches 170 in the thigh area . Let set for 5-7 minutes before serving.
• You can also use your oven set at 350,I have found it works the best if you can set the hens on a small rack inside a roasting pan ans baste the last 15 minutes.