Stuffed Cornish Hens With Port Sauce Recipes

STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season inside and out of cornish hens. In a bowl combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff vegetables into cavity of each bird to full capacity. Drizzle hens with remaining oil. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices across each hen, tucking ends under birds to keep in place. Place hens on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. Roast hens 45 minutes to 1 hour or until an instant reading thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes while you finish sauce. Bring sauce to a boil in roasting pan, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate any drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle hens with sauce.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season inside and out of cornish hens. In a bowl combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff vegetables into cavity of each bird to full capacity. Drizzle hens with remaining oil. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices across each hen, tucking ends under birds to keep in place. Place hens on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. Roast hens 45 minutes to 1 hour or until an instant reading thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes while you finish sauce. Bring sauce to a boil in roasting pan, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate any drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle hens with sauce.

STUFFED CORNISH HENS WITH PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Make stuffing:
• In a fine sieve rinse rice well. In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil with rice and salt and simmer, covered, 45 to 50 minutes, or until rice is tender. Drain rice in sieve.
• While rice is simmering, separately chop fine onion, tomatoes, shallot, and parsley. Remove and discard casings from sausages and in a 12-inch non-stick skillet cook sausages in oil over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink. Add onion, tomatoes, and shallot and cook, stirring, until onion is softened. Stir in rice and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Cool stuffing completely. (Stuffing may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.)
• Preheat oven to 350° F and butter a 1-quart baking dish.
• Rinse Cornish hens inside and out and pat dry. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper and fill cavities with some of stuffing. Tie ends of drumsticks of each hen together with kitchen string and transfer remaining stuffing to baking dish.
• In cleaned non-stick skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and brown hens on all sides. Arrange hens on a rack set in a flameproof roasting pan and add 3/4 cup each of Port and broth. Roast hens in upper third of oven, basting every 15 minutes, 50 to 55 minutes total, or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh (be careful not to touch bone) registers 170° F.
• During last 30 minutes of roasting hens, add 1/4 cup broth to stuffing in dish and bake, covered, in lower third of oven 30 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a cutting board and let stand 15 minutes. Remove rack from pan and add remaining 1/4 cup Port. On top of stove deglaze pan over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits, and transfer liquid to a 1-quart saucepan. Boil liquid until reduced to a glaze and add remaining cup broth. Bring broth to a simmer.
• In a small bowl stir together arrowroot and 2 tablespoons water and whisk into broth. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking, until slightly thickened (do not let boil). Season with salt and pepper. Discard string from hens and with a sharp knife halve hens lengthwise.
• Arrange 1 hen half and some baked stuffing from dish on each of 4 plates and drizzle with sauce.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown sausage with mushrooms in large skillet; drain. Return to skillet. Add stuffing mix, carrots and hot water; stir just until moistened. Set aside.
• Spoon stuffing mixture evenly into hen cavities; close openings with skewers. Place hens, breast sides up, in shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil.
• Bake 1 hour; spoon jelly over hens. Bake an additional 10 min. or until hens are cooked through (180°F).

CRANBERRY-STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread out diced bread on a rimmed baking sheet; toastin oven, turning occasionally, until light brown and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.
• Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add leek, mushrooms, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in bread, chopped sage, parsley, mustard, thyme, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup broth.
• Spoon stuffing into bird cavities; tie legs together with kitchen twine. Rub birds with butter, then sprinkle with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Arrange birds on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thighs (avoiding bone) registers 170 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer rack with birds to a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest.
• Set roasting pan on top of stove across two burners; set heat to medium-high. Add port and remaining 1/4 cup broth; deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add remaining 1/4 cup dried cranberries; cook, stirring, until sauce reduces slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place birds on a serving platter, and drizzle sauce over them. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired, and serve.

PECAN-STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Put 6 tablespoons of the butter in a mixing bowl. Put the pecan meats into the container of an electric blender or spice mill and grind until fine. Do not grind too much, or you will make a paste. Add the pecans to the 6 tablespoons of butter. Add the Cognac, mustard, salt and pepper, and blend well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
• Insert the fingers underneath the skin of the breast and thighs of each hen. Make a fairly deep cavity to hold the stuffing. Spoon an equal portion of the pecan mixture beneath the skin of each hen, distributing the mixture evenly throughout the cavity. It is best if you truss the hens with string.
• Sprinkle the hens with salt and pepper. Arrange the hens breast-side-up on a baking dish. Brush each with a tablespoon of oil. Place the hens in the oven, and bake 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, drain the potatoes, and cut them into very thin slices. There should be about 5 cups. Put the slices in a colander and run them under very hot tap water. Pat dry, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Scatter the potato slices and the necks of the hens around the birds. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and continue baking 10 minutes, basting occasionally. Stir the potatoes so that they bake evenly. Turn the hens breast-side-down, and continue baking 20 minutes. Turn the hens breast-side-up and continue baking 10 minutes.
• Untruss the hens, and cut them in half lengthwise. Serve the potatoes sprinkled with parsley. Broccoli with tomatoes is a good accompaniment.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a large skillet or saucepan, saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in cornbread, bread crumbs, pimientos, broth, egg, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well. , Stuff each hen with 3/4 cup stuffing. Place extra stuffing in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Place hens breast side up on a rack in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 375° for 45 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the remaining butter; add garlic, lemon zest, mint and remaining salt and pepper. Brush over hens. Bake 15-30 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, for 30 minutes.

DEBONED AND STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse and cook wild rice to package instructions; set aside.
• Spread cubed cornbread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat for 4 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring after 2 minutes; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes.
• Add mushrooms; cook for 3 more minutes stirring occasionally.
• Add rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and cooked rice; cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Stir in broth.
• Add pecans and toasted bread cubes; toss lightly.
• Stuff deboned Cornish Game Hens with stuffing.
• Truss deboned Cornish Game Hens with toothpicks and long skewers.
• Roast Cornish Game Hens in oven for 1 hour or until done.
• Making the sauce -- Whisk the stock and pomegranate juice into the roux to get a smooth mix and add the mushrooms.
• Bring the sauce to a low simmering boil and cook for 10 minutes.
• Strain to remove the mushrooms, add nutmeg, season to taste and serve over the game hens.

TENDER STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook rice according to package directions. In a small skillet, saute celery and onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Stir in the soup, mushrooms and prepared rice., Sprinkle inside and outside of hens with salt and pepper. Stuff with rice mixture. Place on a rack in a greased shallow roasting pan; cover with foil. , Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Melt remaining butter; brush over hens. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing.

CORNISH HEN WITH TART CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine sea salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and paprika in a bowl. Place hens on a baking sheet and evenly brush with 5 tablespoons butter. Rub hens with spice mixture.
• Bake hens in preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour with white wine. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Mix cherries, red wine, orange juice, and brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the sauce; whisk until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle cherry sauce over cooked hens.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Saute the chopped onions in the tablespoon of butter until soft.
• Mix rice, onions, apple, raisins and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl.
• Season the cornish hens well inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Place 1/2 cup stuffing into each hen cavity.
• Brush hens liberally with melted butter.
• Place hens, breast side up in a shallow baking pan.
• Cook for about 45 minutes depending on the size of the hens, basting once during the roasting time.
• Make Sauce: In small saucepan, cook the orange juice, brown sugar and butter until thickened, stirring frequently.

SLOW COOKED STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch baking pan.
• Melt 1/2 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix in thyme, seasoned salt, parsley, black pepper, nutmeg, oregano, and marjoram.
• Transfer herb mixture to a large bowl. Add cubed bread and 2 cups chicken broth; toss until well combined. Spread stuffing evenly over the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Place Cornish hens on a flat work surface. Sprinkle salt inside the cavities.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add hens; season exteriors lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, turning to press all sides into the oil, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove hens from heat, reserving the oil.
• Spoon stuffing into the hen cavities; place hens in a slow cooker. Pour the reserved olive oil, wine, and 1/4 cup chicken broth into the slow cooker. Sprinkle sage, savory, and rosemary over the hens. Slice butter into 4 separate tablespoons and place on hens.
• Cook hens on Low until tender and juicy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 8 hours and 30 minutes.