Cornish Hens With Coffee Liqueur Sauce Food

ROASTED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Combine all the dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Pat the hens dry with paper towels and generously season with the dry rub both inside and out.
• Preheat your oven to 425°F.
• In a roasting pan add the rosemary, thyme, garlic, onion, and half the lemon slices. Place the hens in the roasting pan over the herbs and onions and drizzle the olive oil over the hens.
• Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers at 165°F.
• Remove the hens from the oven and let them rest for 20 minutes. Garnish with additional thyme, lemon slices and rosemary and serve over mashed potatoes.

BRAISED CORNISH HEN WITH APRICOTS AND DATES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Rehydrate the apricots by covering them with boiling water and steeping them for 10 minutes before draining and slicing into quarters. Pit and roughly chop the dates, mix them with the apricots, and set aside. Combine the sugar with all of the liquid ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes, then set aside.
• Season the Cornish Hens, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Place 1 bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme inside each bird and close the body cavity by tieing with twine or with a skewer or toothpicks so that the bird holds its shape.
• Brush the hens with olive oil, place them breast side down in a roasting pan, and roast for 20 minutes. At the end of 20 minutes, pour off any excess fat from the pan turn the birds breast side up and roast 20 minutes more. At the end of this 20 minute roasting period, add the apricots, dates, and the liquid to the roasting pan, and braise the contents of the pan together for another 25 minutes. Check the oven every so often to see that the liquid has not all evaporated. If it has, add enough water to keep the bottom third of the hens moist.
• At the end of the cooking time, allow the hens to rest 10 minutes before serving. Place one hen on each dish and pour some of the apricot and date sauce over the top.

FLAVORFUL CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients; sprinkle over hens. In a large skillet, cook hens over medium-high heat in oil until browned on both sides. Transfer to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; set aside and keep warm., In the same skillet, saute green onions and garlic until tender. Stir in broth and orange juice concentrate; pour over hens. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until meat is tender and juices run clear. To serve, drizzle with pan juices and sprinkle with almonds and parsley.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH RAISIN SAUCE

Steps:

• Stuff hens with prepared stuffing; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place trivet or crumpled piece of heavy-duty foil in slow cooker, to keep hens from sitting in juices.
• If you're using a deep and narrow crockpot, put Cornish hens in neck-side down.
• In a 1-quart saucepan combine jelly, raisins, butter, lemon juice and allspice.
• Cook over low heat, stirring, until hot and simmering.
• Brush some of the sauce on hens in the crockpot.
• Keep remaining sauce in refrigerator until serving time.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, basting once about an hour before done. Bring remaining sauce to a boil and spoon over hens at serving time.

CORNISH HENS THE EASY WAY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Rub each hen with a lime half. Drizzle the hens with olive oil, and season with chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, and pepper. Place hens on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.
• Roast hens 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue roasting 30 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH KUMQUATS AND ORANGE LIQUEUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit.
• Remove tarragon leaves from the stems; place aside. Wash and dry kumquats; slice in half and remove all seeds; place aside. Crush, dice, or press the garlic cloves; place aside. Rinse game hens with cold water and pat dry.
• Separate the skin from the game hen's breast. Push in the tarragon leaves and crushed garlic under the skin; the skin protects the leaves and garlic from burning. Place tarragon stems inside the hen's cavity, along with about 35-40 seeded kumquats.
• Place game hens on a raised rack in a roasting pan. Add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan to prevent the juices from burning. Cook for about one and ½ hours at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Baste frequently and replenish the water in the pan as needed.
• Optional: Place giblets in a saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium heat until done, about 1 hour. Remove and allow to cool. Chop and set aside.
• Coarsely chop the remaining 10 to 15 kumquats. In a sauce pan, combine the orange juice, sugar, and kumquats. Bring to a slow boil and reduce heat to a low simmer. Stir frequently and cook until done, about 30 to 45 minutes. Set aside.
• Remove the game hens from the oven after 90 minutes or when golden brown and done. Transfer the game hens to a serving platter. Remove and discard the tarragon stems. Reserve the cooked kumquats and decoratively place around the hens.
• Deglaze the roasting pan and transfer the drippings to a saucepan. Carefully add the flour to make a roué. Add chicken broth and cook over medium heat until the gravy is thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add giblets (optional).
• Combine the orange liqueur with orange juice/kumquat sauce and add to gravy. Simmer another 5 minutes. Transfer to gravy boat.
• Carve game hens and serve each portion with gravy and kumquats.