Afghan Style Game Hens Recipes

ASIAN CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large container, combine soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar and garlic. Marinate hens for 30 minutes.
• Place hens along with the marinade in a baking dish. Cover with tin foil and cook for 1 hour.
• Remove tin foil after 1 hour and continue to cook for another 15-25 minutes. (until the hens are lightly browned and the juices run clear).
• Please note: Make sure to baste for the last 15-25 minutes of the cooking time.

GRILLED GAME HENS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• 1. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the game hens. Remove the packages of giblets (if any) and set aside for another use. Rinse the hens, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Spatchcook the game hens or cut each one lengthwise in half with poultry shears. Place the birds in a large, deep nonreactive bowl or baking dish and set aside while you prepare the marinade.2. Combine the onion, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, salt, cumin, paprika, ginger, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Pour the mixture over the game hens in the large bowl and turn the birds to coat thoroughly. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1 to 8 hours (the longer the better), turning the birds occasionally.3. Preheat the grill, using the two-tiered method.4. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Remove the game hens from the marinade and arrange, skin side down, on the grate over the hotter section of the grill and cook. The total cooking time will be 25 to 35 minutes.5. Transfer the hens to serving plates or a platter and serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.Serves 4

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.

AFGHAN-STYLE GAME HENS

Steps:

• 1. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the game hens. Remove the packages of giblets (if any) and set aside for another use. Rinse the hens, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place the hens in a large, deep nonreactive bowl or baking dish and set aside while you prepare the marinade.2. Combine the oil, yogurt, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a medium-size bowl and whisk to blend. Stir in the onions, garlic, sliced lemon, and bird peppers, then pour the mixture over the game hens in the larger bowl, turning the birds to coat. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, 8 to 24 hours (the longer the better), turning the hens occasionally.3. Set up the grill for rotisserie cooking.4. When ready to cook, place the hens on the spit and set the spit in place on the grill. Turn on the rotisserie and cook until the birds are nicely browned and the juices run clear when the tip of a skewer or sharp knife is inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, 20 to 35 minutes if the grill is covered, somewhat longer uncovered.5. Unspit the hens and transfer to a cutting board or platter. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.Serves 4Note: If desired, you may cook the hens directly on the grill. Spatchcook the birds or cut lengthwise in half with poultry shears, then marinate as directed in step 2 and grill as directed in the preceding recipe.

CORNISH GAME HENS ORIENTAL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Rinse hens under cold water until water runs clear and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place hens in either a baking dish or small roasting pan just large enough to hold the hens.
• In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce with undiluted orange juice concentrate, sesame oil, honey and curry powder until the honey dissolves.
• Gently place your thumb between skin and breast, lifting the skin. Tilt bird upward and pour about 2 tablespoons of the mixture under the skin. Drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon in cavity. Repeat on the second hen, third hen and fourth hen.
• Pour remainder of the soy mixture over the hens and rub evenly over skins. Tightly cover dish or pan with aluminum foil or lid. Roast in center of preheated oven for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and baste hens with liquid from the pan. To prevent sauce from burning, stir water into pan juices.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Return hens to oven and continue to roast, UNCOVERED, for about 20 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with pan-liquid, until a rich glaze forms on top and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thigh reads 170 degrees.
• Remove pan from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving. Place hens on individual plates, then spoon pan juices overtop. Serve with Stove Top chicken stuffing and mashed potatoes, or your favorite roasted veggies, or maple squash over bok choy.

CORNISH GAME HEN: SPATCHCOCK HEN

Steps:

• Preheat a panini press on high.
• Place the game hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Spray the bottom of the panini press with the nonstick cooking spray. Place the bird, skin side up onto the press, pray the skin side with non-stick cooking spray and close the lid. Top the press with a 10-pound weight and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
• Allow to rest 3 minutes before serving.

HERB-ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over hens. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or a thermometer reads 180°.

STEVE RAICHLEN'S GRILLED GAME HENS

Steps:

• 1. For the marinade, whisk together all the ingredients except the game hens and lemons in a large bowl.
• 2. Rinse, drain, and halve the hens lengthwise; place in the bowl, coating thoroughly with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 8 hours (the longer, the better), turning occasionally.
• 3. Preheat the grill, using the three-tier method (see note below ). When ready to cook, oil the grill rack. Remove hens from the marinade and arrange skin-side down on the rack over the hottest section of the grill; cook until the skin starts to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Move the hens to the center section of the grill and continue to cook until the skin is thoroughly browned, 7 to 10 minutes more.
• 4. Turn the hens and move them back to the hottest section of the grill. Brown the second side well, 5 to 7 minutes, then move the pieces back to the center section of the grill to finish cooking. The total cooking time will be about 25 to 35 minutes. When ready, the hens will be crisp and golden-brown outside, and the juices will run clear when the meat is pierced. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
• Three-Tier Grilling Method:
• Pile 2/3 of the coals on one side of the grill and the remaining 1/3 in the center. Leave a small portion of the grill free of coals. Three-tier grilling gives you a super-hot heat source for searing, a moderately hot heat source for cooking, and an area to place the food if it starts to burn. You control the heat by moving the food from one area to the other.