Sweet And Spicy 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.

JERK CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Combine the scallions, bell pepper, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, thyme, allspice, ginger, brown sugar, chile pepper and 1 tablespoon salt in a food processor; pulse to make a thick sauce. Refrigerate 1/4 cup for serving.
• Season the hens all over with salt and pepper; poke a few holes into the bone side. Rub 1 cup of the jerk sauce all over the hens in a large bowl or pan. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium; prepare for direct and indirect grilling: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side. For a gas grill, turn off one of the burners after preheating. Remove the hens from the marinade, letting any excess drip off; place skin-side up on the cooler side of the grill (position the legs closer to the fire). Cover and cook until the hens are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Baste the hens with any extra jerk sauce, then turn them over to the direct-heat side of the grill; cook, uncovered, until the skin is dark brown and the meat is cooked through but still moist, 5 to 10 more minutes. (A thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read 160 degrees.) Set the hens aside for 5 minutes, then serve with the reserved jerk sauce.
• Photography by Con Poulos

SWEET AND SPICY GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine juice, jerk seasoning and oil. Rinse halved hens and pat dry with paper towels. Put the hens in a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade. Turn hens in the bag to coat evenly. Close the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the hens from the marinade and place in a roasting pan, breast-side up. Pour the remaining marinade over the hens. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
• Garnish with cilantro.

SWEET AND SPICY CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Mix Marinade (Garlic, Salt, Sesame Oil, Honey, Peanut Butter, Ginger, Chili Garlic Sauce, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Rice Wine Vinegar)
• Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to cut Cornish Hen in half. Cut down the center of the top of the Cornish Hen.
• Flip the hen over and cut out the strip of bone down the center of the Cornish Hen.
• Place both halves of the Cornish Hen in a Zip Lock Bag
• Pour Marinade over Cornish Hen
• Massage Marinade into the Cornish Hen. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. It's better to marinate overnight but not necessary
• Bake or Grill Cornish Hens. If Baking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the Cornish Hen in a Casserole dish. Cook Cornish Hen for 45 minutes or until done -internal temperature of 165 degrees and the juices run clear. If Grilling: Place Cornish Hen on grill over direct heat for a few minutes. Grill until there is a nice char. About 3 to 5 minutes depending on how hot the fire is on the grill.
• Move the Cornish Hen to the in-direct heat on the grill. Put cover down on grill. Check after 15 to 20 minutes.
• Continue to grill until the Cornish Hens have reached 165 degrees internal temperature and the juices run clear.
• Place Cornish Hen on a serving dish
• Serve with Cauliflower Rice and Enjoy!!!

SPICED YOGURT-MARINATED CORNISH HENS WITH SWEET ONION-ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Combine the yogurt, coconut aminos, garlic, salt, peppercorns, turmeric, and ginger in a blender. Use a Microplane to grate in the zest of both lemons, then halve one and squeeze in the juice. Reserve the re-maining lemon for another purpose. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Rinse the hens under cool water, inside and out, and pat dry very well. Put them in a large bowl or pan and spoon about one third of the yogurt marinade into the cavities of the birds, spreading it around as best you can. Pour the rest of the marinade over the hens, using the spoon to make sure they're completely coated, tops and bottoms, including the wings and crevices between the legs and breasts.
• Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 16 hours or up to 2 days.
• About half an hour before you're ready to cook the hens, remove them from the fridge to take the chill off. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmery. Add the onions and 1½ teaspoons of the salt. Stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften and release liquid, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the onions have a creamy texture, turn a deep golden color, and taste very sweet, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the potatoes on a large sheet pan, sprinkle with the remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt, and toss well. Add the cooked onion mixture, stir well, and spread them to make a bed for the hens-a snug single layer in the center of the pan.
• Take the hens out of the marinade (don't scrape any off, but do leave behind anything left in the bowl) and put them on the potato-onion mixture, with a few inches of space between each one. Roast until the hens are golden brown with some dark patches and poking the thighs reveals juices with no trace of pink (a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should register 150°F), 40 to 45 minutes.
• Let the hens rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a platter to serve.

SWEET-AND-SPICY CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the jelly, the lemon and lime juices, the Worcestershire sauce, and the jalapeño and heat the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the jelly is just melted. Pat the Cornish hens dry, sprinkle them with salt and black pepper, and arrange the halves, skin sides down, on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan. Brush the halves with some of the sauce and roast them in the lower third of a preheated 500°F. oven for 15 minutes. Baste the halves with the sauce, turn them, and roast them, basting them after 7 minutes, for 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pricked with a skewer.