Fricassee Of Cornish Game Hens With Walnuts And Mint Food

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

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.

FRICASSEE OF GAME HEN WITH CREAMY LEEKS AND VADOUM

Steps:

• Make stock:
• Heat oil in a heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook backbones and wing tips until well browned on all sides. Add water and bring to a boil, skimming froth occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and boil, uncovered, 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on and then discarding solids. Boil stock until reduced to about 2 cups.
• Make fricassee:
• Pat hens dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown hens in batches (without crowding), turning once, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
• Halve white and pale green parts of leeks lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces and wash. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then cook leeks with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits, until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil. Stir in stock, cream, and vadouvan. Nestle hens, skin sides up, into leeks. Cover with a round of parchment paper. Gently simmer 10 minutes. Remove parchment and simmer until hens are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer hens to a platter and simmer sauce to thicken slightly if desired.

HERB ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and put a baking rack on top.
• Mix together the grill seasoning, dressing, and chopped herbs in a small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons. Generously rub the hens inside and out with the herb and dressing mixture. Stuff each hen with a sprig of each herb and a piece of lemon.
• In a large bowl, combine the carrots, onions and potatoes with the reserved 2 tablespoons of dressing mixture, a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Put the vegetables in a large roasting pan and arrange the hens on top. Roast them until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, about 50 to 55 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil and let the hens rest for 5 minutes before serving. Transfer the hens to a large serving tray with the roasted vegetables.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH WILD RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the onions and celery until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for 1 minute more. In a mixing bowl combine the onion mixture with the rice, parsley, nuts and dried fruits and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1/2 cup of the stuffing into the cavity of each hen. Tie the legs of each bird together with kitchen twine.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the remaining butter with the vinegar. Brush the birds all over with the butter mixture and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast the hens until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees F., about 80 minutes. Set the birds aside at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving. Split hens in half through the breast with a sharp knife or poultry shears, and keep the stuffing intact. Arrange birds skin-side up, on a platter, garnish with sprigs of parsley and serve.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH APRICOT-FIG STUFFING

Steps:

• Hens:.
• Preheat an oven to 400°F
• Rinse the birds and pat dry.
• Rub inside and out with the salt and pepper, then with the sage/thyme and rosemary.
• Discard the herbs or, if you prefer, leave some of them clinging to the skin or tucked under the skin. (This is my preference).
• Stuffing:.
• Place half of the bread chunks in a large bowl mixed with the dried figs and apricots, rosemary, thyme, walnuts, salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
• Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the boiling water and pour the mixture over the stuffing mixture, turning it to soak all the pieces, about 10 minutes.
• Mix stuffing well with your hands, forming a bit of a 'paste'.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the paste and set aside.
• Add the remainder of the bread chunks to the main stuffing mixture and stir lightly to incorporate.
• Spoon 1/4 to 1/3 cup stuffing into the cavity of each bird. Do not pack the cavities too full.
• Gently slip your fingers between the skin and the meat of the breast to make a pocket, and tuck some of the 'paste' stuffing under the skin and gently massage the breast of the bird to even it out.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings under the breasts.
• Place the birds, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 35 minutes.
• Glaze:.
• In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the jam and vinegar and heat, stirring occasionally, until a syrup forms, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove the birds from the oven and, using a pastry brush, coat them with the glaze.
• Return the birds to the oven and roast until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with the tip of a knife, about 20 - 30 minutes more.
• Remove the birds from the oven, garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve. Serves 4.

DEEP-FRIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Don't fill your stockpot more than half full with shortening/oil, to allow for the inevitable boiling up when the hens are added.
• Also, be sure the hens are at room temperature so the fat temperature doesn't drop dramatically from the shock of an ice-cold bird.
• Rinse the hens and pat completely dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan/cookie sheet.
• In a stockpot, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 375 degrees F.
• Carefully put 1 Cornish hen in the hot shortening. Deep fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown.

FRICASSEE OF CORNISH GAME HENS WITH WALNUTS AND MINT

Steps:

• Heat oil in large wide pot over medium heat. Working in batches, add hens and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer hens to large bowl. Add onions and garlic to drippings in pot; saute 10 minutes. Finely grind walnuts and 1 tablespoon mint in processor. Add nut mixture to onion mixture. Mix in tomato paste, then wine and 1 cup water. Return hens to pot. Cover; simmer 20 minutes. Turn hens over; simmer uncovered until cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer hens to platter. Tent with foil. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Pour over hens. Garnish with mint sprigs.

FRICASSEE OF GAME HEN WITH CREAMY LEEKS AND VADOUVAN

Steps:

• VADOUVAN:.
• (Make ahead).
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Pulse onions in 3 batches in a food processor until very coarsely chopped (there may be a few large pieces remaining), transferring to a bowl.
• Repeat with shallots, then garlic.
• Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions, shallots, and garlic (stir often) until golden and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Grind fenugreek seeds in grinder or with mortar and pestle. Add to onion mixture along with remaining ingredients, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined.
• Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined large 4-sided sheet pan and spread as thinly and evenly as possible.
• Bake, stirring occasionally with a skewer to separate onions, until well browned and barely moist, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• *COOKS NOTE: Vadouvan keeps in the refrigerator 1 month (cool before covering) or in the freezer 6 months.
• MAKE STOCK:
• Heat oil in a heavy medium pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Cook backbones and wing tips until well browned on all sides.
• Add water and bring to a boil, skimming froth occasionally. Add 3 cups reserved chopped leek greens, plus remaining ingredients and boil, uncovered, 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on and then discarding solids.
• Boil stock until reduced to about 2 cups.
• MAKE FRICASSEE:
• Pat hens dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
• Brown hens in batches (without crowding), turning once, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
• Halve white and pale green parts of leeks lengthwise, then cut into 1-inch pieces and wash.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then cook leeks with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and scraping up brown bits, until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add wine and bring to a boil.
• Stir in stock, cream, and vadouvan. Nestle hens, skin sides up, into leeks. Cover with a round of parchment paper.
• Gently simmer 10 minutes.
• Remove parchment and simmer until hens are cooked through, about 10 minutes more.
• Transfer hens to a platter and simmer sauce to thicken slightly if desired.
• *COOKS NOTE: Fricassee can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat gently.

DATE & WALNUT CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Rinse Hens inside and out with cold water. Blot dry with paper towels. Prick skin of each Hen in several places with a fork. Place in a deep baking dish. Combine rest of the stuff except stuffing and corn starch and pour over Hens. Cover and put in the Ice Box for 12 to 24 hours. Turn the Hens many times. Drain and save the marinade. Stuff each bird with the stuffing and place in a shallow baking dish on a rack in the WOK over simmering water. Loosely cover Hens with foil. Cover WOK and steam for 1 hour check the water in the bottom from time to time. Remove from WOK. Strain the reserved marinade into saucepan. Place over medium heat, simmer until reduced by about half. Stir in cornstarch and cook till thickened. Spoon over Birds in baking dish. Again place dish in WOK on rack over simmering water and cover loosely with foil. Cover WOK and steam for 15 minutes. Baste a few times.
• Stuffing Directions:.
• mix flour with walnuts and dates. chop fine and mix with minced onion, Stuffing mix and water.