Cornish Game Hens With Chili Plum Sauce Food

MARINATED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH SWEET CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• Marinade: thinly slice lower 6 inches of lemongrass stalks, discarding remainder of stalks.
• In a food processor or blender, finely grind together sliced lemongrass, coriander, shallot, garlic, and ginger root.
• Add brown sugar, curry, pepper, salt, fish sauce, and 1 cup of the coconut milk and puree.
• Quarter each hen and divide the hen between 2 large plastic zip lock bags and divide the marinade and seal the bags, pressing out all air.
• Put bags in a large shallow dish and marinate hens, chilled, turning bag once or twice overnight.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. and line a large shallow roasting pan with foil.
• Remove hens from the marinade, reserving marinade, and arrange hens, skin side up, in the prepared pan. Roast 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
• While hens are roasting, in a small saucepan, combine reserved marinade and remaining 1 cup of coconut milk and cook sauce at a slow boil, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, and strain through a sieve into another small saucepan to keep warm.
• Serve hens with the marinade sauce and/or the Sweet Chili Sauce.
• For the Sweet Chili sauce, in a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Cool sauce to room temperature. Sauce may be made up to 3 days ahead and kept chilled, covered. Serve at room temperature though. (Yield: 1 1/2 cups).

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH PORT CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Rinse hens thoroughly and cut in half along the breastbone. Place halves, skin side up, in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray. Season with salt, pepper and dried thyme.
• Place in oven and roast for approximately 40 minutes to an hour, until skin is nicely browned. For extra color, brush with melted better during last 15 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, combine port, chicken broth, cornstarch mixture, raspberry preserves, and dried cherries.
• When hens are done cooking, remove from oven and let them rest on counter. Add pan drippings to the port mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer until desired consistency is reached. Add more preserves if the sauce is too tart. (The sauce can actually be made/reduced ahead of time - just reheat when pan drippings are added). Add more water or chicken broth if the sauce is too thick. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Serve with sauce spooned over hens.

CRISPY FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS (TAPAKA)

Steps:

• With a meat cleaver, poultry shears, or a VERY sharp knife, split open the breast of the Cornish Hen. Carefully remove the breastbone. Cover the hen with waxed paper and pound the flat side of the cleaver or a meat tenderizer to flatten.
• Combine the garlic, lemon juice, paprika, and about 1/4 teaspoon salt. Rub over the hen and refrigerate, covered for at least two hours or as long as overnight.
• Heat the clarified butter in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
• Brush the garlic off the hen, then place the hen in the skillet, skin side down. Cover the hen directly with something flat (such as an ovenproof plate) and place a heavy object (such as a brick, a smaller iron skillet, or a pan filled with water) on top so the hen is firmly pressed down.
• Cook until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Turn the bird, re-weight, and cook on the other side for about 15 minutes. Pierce a thigh with a skewer. the hen is ready when the juices run clear.
• Serve on a bed of lettuce, garnished with the fresh vegetables, and accompanied with the Sour Plum Sauce on the side.
• For the Sour Plum Sauce:.
• In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the prunes and enough cold water to barely cover. bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the prunes are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Drain the prunes, then pit and put them through a food mill. Return the prunes to the saucepan. Add the cilantro, garlic, coriander seeds, fenugreek, red pepper flakes to taste, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and salt. bring to a boil and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Yaste and add more lemon juice, if desired.
• Cool the sauce to room temperature and transfer to a sterilized 1 quart jar. Top with the oil. seal. and refrigerate. The sauce should stand for at least 4 to 6 hours before serving. The sauce will keep for up to two months in the refrigerator. This makes about 3 cups.