Cornish Game Hens With Sweet Potato Risotto And Cranberry Sauce Food

ROAST POUSSIN/CORNISH HEN AND SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• This is my almost regular as clockwork Saturday night supper. I find it enormously easy and relaxing to make since all I do is go downstairs, put everything in the oven, and then go back up to Saturday evening tv in bed until it's ready - and then, frankly, back again.
• If I cook the poussins/ Cornish hens in the same pan as the sweet potatoes, I cut a couple of slices of bread and put 1 underneath each bird in the tin, so as to absorb the juices and stop them from seeping into the sweet potatoes which, in turn, would prevent them from crisping and browning. But more often than not, I dispense with the bread (you can imagine how good it tastes later though) and just get 2 disposable foil roasting trays about the size of brownie tins each and put the poussins/ Cornish hens in one and the sweet potatoes in another and reuinite on the plate with a little watercress and a squirt of lime juice later. I must have English mustard with. I know it's a weakness, but not one I'm willing to renounce.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the birds into a small baking tin or foil tray pouring over 1 tablespoon of oil.
• Cut the unpeeled sweet potatoes into 2 1/2-inch cubes and put them into another smallish tin or foil tray.Pour over the other tablespoon of oil and sprinkle over the spices, and then toss everything together by shaking the tin.
• Cook both the poussins/hens and sweet potatoes in the preheated hot oven for 45 minutes.
• Put each poussin/Cornish hen on a plate, with a tangle of watercress and the sweet potatoes alongside. Sprinkle with Maldon/kosher salt, to taste, and spritz with lime juice and go to it!

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.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH BACON AND CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Season hens with salt and pepper.
• Place, cut side down, in large shallow roasting pan.
• Put 1/2 slice of bacon on each half hen.
• Sprinkle with lemon juice.
• Dissolve bouillon cube in the boiling water and add to the bottom of the pan.
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until juice runs clear when thigh is pierced with a fork. Baste often with pan drippings.
• When hens are done, remove to a serving platter.
• Pour pan drippings into medium saucepan.
• Blend flour into the drippings.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until browned.
• Gradually add 1 cup of water. Cook, stirring contanstly, until smooth and thickened.
• Stir in cranberry sauce and mushrooms.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Simmer 10 minutes and serve over the hens.
• Serve with rice.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Put the game hens in a shallow, flameproof baking dish without crowding. Rub the hens all over with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the onion in half and place the halves, cut side down, around the hens. Arrange the gizzards and livers around the hens.
• Place the baking dish with hens on top of the stove over low heat. Turn the hens around in the dish to coat with the oil. Arrange the hens on their sides. Place in the oven and bake 15 minutes, basting often.
• Turn the hens to other side and continue baking 15 minutes, basting often.
• Turn the hens breast side up and continue baking about 10 minutes, basting often.
• Transfer the hens to a heated serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Skim off most of the fat from the pan liquid in the baking dish. Put the baking dish on top of the stove and bring the pan liquid to a boil. Add the wine and stir to dissolve any brown particles that may cling to the bottom of the pan. Strain the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook down to about half and add the honey, chicken broth and tomato paste. Stir. Add any liquid that has accumulated inside or around the hens. Add the cranberries and bring to a boil.
• Cook until the cranberries pop, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Swirl in the butter. Add salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the hens and serve.

CRANBERRY-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In 1-qt. saucepan, combine the gravy, cranberry sauce, mustard and orange zest. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until glaze is smooth., Cut hens in half lengthwise; rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on rack with drip pan, skin side down; spoon half of the glaze over hens. , Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Turn hens; bake 25 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with remaining glaze., Serve on bed of wild rice and garnish with twists of thinly sliced orange.

CINNAMON DUSTED CORNISH GAME HEN WITH SWEET POTATO RISOTTO

Steps:

• Rub hen breasts with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Dice 3 sweet potatoes. Heat skillet, add sweet potato with butter and ginger. Toss until lightly brown. Place in the oven and roast until slightly al dente. Reserve.
• Combine sugar, water, and cranberry, and Port wine in same pot. Reduce slowly until thick. Puree and put through chinois. Put back on the stove and reduce until syrupy. Reserve.
• Add risotto to pan. Add Riesling. Scrape 1/2 vanilla bean, stirring until incorporated. Add mascarpone. Fold in roasted sweet potato.
• Sear off game hen breasts and finish in oven, keeping tender and juicy. Blanch orange zest in hot water for approximately 2 minutes.
• Put risotto in the bottom of a bowl or plate, with game hen breasts crossed on the top. Garnish with crispy sweet potato, toasted walnuts, chervil, and drizzle with cranberry syrup. Top with orange zest.

CRANBERRY STUFFED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Toast bread in the preheated oven until golden, crispy, and completely dry, 20 to 40 minutes. Transfer bread to a large bowl.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir shallots and green onions with a pinch of salt in hot butter until shallots are translucent and soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add dried cranberries to shallots; cook and stir until cranberries are warmed through, 2 o 3 minutes.
• Pour chicken broth into skillet; bring broth mixture to a simmer and pour mixture over dried bread cubes. Stir until liquid is absorbed. Season with chopped thyme, minced rosemary, sage, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix beaten egg into bread mixture, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let stuffing sit until liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Drizzle the bottom of a roasting pan with 2 tablespoons oil and lay thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs on the bottom of the pan.
• Generously season each hen cavity with salt. Stuff each hen with about 1/2 the bread-cranberry mixture. Tie legs together and set into prepared roasting pan on top of thyme and rosemary sprigs. Brush hens with remaining olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
• Bake hens in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove hens to a platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Stir chicken broth, fresh cranberries, and maple syrup into the pan and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until sauce reduces and thickens, 1 to 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over stuffed hens.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH SWEET-POTATO RISOTTO AND CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Puree sauce in processor. Strain into small bowl. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place game hens, cut side down, on small baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Continue baking until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced, about 20 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add yams, onion and ginger; sauté until yams are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Cook rice in small saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Drain rice. Add rice to yam mixture in skillet. Add Riesling and stir over low heat to blend. Add mascarpone and stir to melt. Season with salt and pepper.
• Rewarm sauce. Spoon risotto onto plates. Top with hen. Sprinkle with nuts, parsley and orange peel. Drizzle sauce around risotto.
• *Italian cream cheese, available at Italian markets and many supermarkets. If unavailable, blend 8 ounces cream cheese with 1/4 cup whipping cream and 2 1/2 tablespoons sour cream. Use 2/3 cup mixture for the recipe.