Cornish Hens Recipes By Paula Deen Food

ORANGE-CRANBERRY GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Cut the hens in half with kitchen shears, removing the backbone and cutting through the middle of the breastbone. Divide the onion, oranges and rosemary sprigs between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Arrange the hens skin-side up on the baking sheets and season all over with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the orange juice, cranberries, maple syrup, 1 teaspoon coriander, the chile powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, mashing the cranberries as they start to burst, until the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped rosemary, garlic and the remaining 2 teaspoons coriander. Cook 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
• Pat the hens dry with paper towels, then brush with the flavored butter. Roast the hens until the skin is browned and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and switch to the broiler setting. Brush the hens with the orange-cranberry sauce, then broil, one baking sheet at a time, until glazed and dark brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat each Cornish hen with 2 tablespoons of the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Into the cavity of each bird, insert a lemon half, an onion quarter, half a garlic head and 3 thyme sprigs. Set aside.
• Spread the carrots and potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or roasting pan. Add the chicken broth and then the prepared Cornish hens. Roast until the juices run clear and the hens are golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

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!

THE BEST BAKED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Rub hens with butter.
• Combine other ingredients and use to baste hens.
• Bake at 350F for 1 hour, basting with lemon mixture every 10 minutes. If serving with rice, spoon remaining lemon mixture over rice.
• Enjoy!

HONEY GAME HENS

Steps:

• Rinse hens, trim off excess fat, and pat dry; place in bowl.
• Put garlic and ginger in food processor and process until nearly smooth.
• In another bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, orange juice, and zest. Add the garlic and ginger.
• Pour mixture over game hens, coating well. Refrigerate overnight, turning in marinade several times.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place game hens in shallow roasting pan; pour marinade on top.
• Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes.
• Remove hens to serving platter.
• Pour cooking juices into small, heavy saucepan and boil for 4 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
• Pour over hens just before serving.
• Serve with sesame noodles or rice pilaf.
• These hens can also be grilled; just remember to baste often.

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS RECIPE COURTESY THE NEELYS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil and poultry seasoning.
• Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture.
• Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans.
• Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with some green bell pepper, celery and onion.
• Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
• Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

NEW ENGLAND ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Split the hens and remove the ribs and backbone.
• Combine all above except butter and marinate the hens for 2 to 6 hours.
• Bring them to room temperature before cooking.
• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Remove the hens from the marinade and pat more or less dry.
• Arrange in an oven dish (single layer), brush with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, brushing with butter once or twice during cooking.