Spice Rubbed Rock Cornish Hens Food

SPICY MAPLE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pat the game hens dry and place on the prepared rack. Mix the butter, 1/3 cup maple syrup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar with the salt and all the spices in a bowl. Rub the birds with the butter mixture, making sure it gets in all the cavities and under the skin. Reserve any unused butter for later. Sprinkle the hens with a little extra salt and paprika.
• Roast for 30 minutes, then baste with the juices at the bottom of the baking sheet, or a little of the remaining butter. Return to the oven and roast until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh (do not touch bone) registers 165 degrees F, another 15 to 30 minutes more. Remove the hens to a cutting board or serving tray to rest and remove the rack. Pour the dry sherry into the hot baking sheet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits; add a little of the stock if necessary. Transfer the sherry mixture to a small saucepan and add any remaining butter. Melt over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons chicken stock in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry and the remaining stock to the saucepan along with the remaining 1/3 cup syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve the game hens with the sweet and spicy gravy.

SPICE-RUBBED CORNISH HENS WITH HAROSETH STUFFING AND SHERRY JUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Whisk together spices, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and oil in a small bowl.
• Pat hens dry and stuff cavity of each with 1/3 cup haroseth. Place hens in a large flameproof roasting pan and rub all over with spice mixture, including underneath skin of breast meat (loosen skin gently with your fingers). Tuck wings underneath body, then secure legs together with a wooden pick or tie with kitchen string.
• Roast hens 20 minutes, then brush with pan drippings. Continue to roast, basting every 10 minutes, until juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, 25 to 30 minutes more (45 to 50 minutes total). Transfer hens to a cutting board.
• Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners and boil drippings, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Carefully add Sherry (it may ignite) and boil 2 minutes (or until flames subside). Add water and boil, stirring, until sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to a measuring cup and let stand 1 minute, then skim off fat (or use a fat separator).
• Serve hens, halved if desired, with sauce on the side.
• What to drink:
• Yarden Galilee Cabernet Sauvignon '05

SPICE-RUBBED ROCK CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. Rub hens with oil. Mix all remaining ingredients except hens. Rub turmeric mixture on skins of hens. Place hens, breast sides up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.Roast uncovered 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until thermometer reads 180° and juice is no longer pink when center of thigh is cut.1 Serving: Calories 325 (Calories from Fat 215) Fat 24g (Saturated 6g) Cholesterol 150mg Sodium 240mg Carbohydrate 1g (Dietary Fiber 0g) Protein 26g% Daily Value: Vitamin A 4% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 2% Iron 8%Diet Exchanges: 4 Medium-Fat Meat, Fat 1Betty's TipTurmeric is an ancient spice, dating back to 600 B.C. when it was used to make perfume. This ground powder has a bitter, pungent flavor and an intense yellow-orange color. We use it today to add flavor and color. Turmeric gives us the color in yellow mustard, and it is a key ingredient in most curry powders.

MOROCCAN-STYLE CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Finely grind first 7 ingredients in spice grinder or coffee grinder. Transfer to small bowl. Whisk in orange juice, oil and garlic. (Spice mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Rub spice mixture all over hens; place hens in large roasting pan. Sprinkle hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together to hold shape. Arrange carrots in pan around hens. Sprinkle carrots with salt and pepper. Roast 30 minutes. Add stock to roasting pan. Roast hens until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced and carrots are tender, basting hens occasionally with pan juices, about 35 minutes longer. Place 1 hen on each of 4 plates. Arrange carrots alongside. Spoon warm Orange-Honey Sauce over and serve.

STUFFED ROCK CORNISH GAME HENS WITH RHUBARB SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Remove giblets and necks from hens. Rinse and drain well. Tuck neck skin of each hen under wings to secure it.
• In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, in 1/4 cup hot salad oil, cook onion and celery until golden, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing mix as label directs; stir into onion mixture. Lightly spoon mixture into hens. Tie legs and tail of each hen together.
• Brush hens generously with oil; sprinkle with salt. Place, breast side up, on rack in open roasting pan. Roast at 375°F for 1 1/4 hours or until a leg can be moved easily up and down.
• Meanwhile, prepare Rhubarb Sauce. In 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat rhubarb, water, salt and cinnamon to boiling; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook 5-8 minutes for until rhubarb is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in sugar. Baste hens frequently with sauce during last 30 minutes of roasting. Remove strings. Serve with remaining sauce.