Broiled Cornish Hens With Spicy Salt Recipes

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.

MOROCCAN STYLE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Make your marinade:
• Whisk together the lemon or limejuice, olive oil, garlic, oregano leaves, parsley, 1 teaspoon ras el hanout and salt in a bowl.
• Divide the marinade in between two large zipper bags. Take two hens and place in each bag. Press out air before sealing. Place them in the fridge and let it marinade at least 4 hours or better yet, overnight.
• When ready to roast the Cornish hens: Pre-heat the oven to 425F.
• Place the hens and their marinade in a 9 x 13 oven proof dish. Add water or broth and arrange the slices of the onion and shallots around the hens. Sprinkle the hens with freshly ground black pepper, paprika and the remaining teaspoon of ras el hanout.
• Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375F. Place in small potatoes and roast for another hour or 1 hour 15 minutes basting frequently, Always test the hens before serving to make sure the juices run clear and they are full cooked. Internal temperature should be 165F. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Let them rest for 20 minutes, garnish with fresh additional fresh oregano and serve.

BROILED CORNISH HENS WITH SPICY SALT

Steps:

• Adjust broiler rack of oven so that it is about 6 inches from heating element. Preheat oven on broil setting. Place a large skillet or broiling pan into oven, and heat for 10 or 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast peppercorns in another dry skillet over medium heat, shaking occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Grind to a powder in a spice mill or a coffee grinder or with mortar and pestle. Sprinkle about one teaspoon of ground peppercorns over skin side of hens; sprinkle with a bit of salt as well. Combine remaining powder with an equal amount of salt, and set aside.
• Carefully remove skillet from oven, and put hens in it, skin side up. Broil without turning, moving pieces as necessary to brown evenly, about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned and cooked through.
• Remove birds to a plate, and drizzle with a little of their pan juices and lime juice. Serve, passing spicy salt at the table.

TASTY TARRAGON CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Make basting sauce by melting butter in small sauce pan and stirring in wine (or broth) and tarrgon.
• Sprinkle inside of each hen with salt, pepper, tarragon, and garlic.
• Lightly coat outside of hen with olive (or other) oil.
• Liberally sprinkle outside of hen with garlic salt.
• Tie hen legs together if possible (I've also made these without doing this step).
• Place hens in oven.
• Let hens cook about 15 minutes before starting to use the basting sauce. After each basting, I will occasionally sprinkle more garlic salt over the hens.
• Continue to baste hens every 15 minutes or so until done. If hen wings or top start to darken too much, cover those areas with foil.
• When hens have finished cooking, remove to serving platter.
• optional - I place the strained drippings in a bowl (skimming off some of the butter) and use this as a 'gravy' for the hens and any suitable rice/potato dish that may accompany them.
• Use your meat thermometer to determine doneness as it varies according to hen weight.

BROILED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• PREHEAT 450°F BROILER!
• Remove any giblets and rinse cavity and hen well and pat dry.
• Split hens in half vertically.
• Sprinkle both sides of each half hen with lemon pepper.
• Place skin side down in foil covered broiler pan.
• Place 1 T butter on each cavity half; pour 1 T lemon juice over each half.
• Broil 7 inches away from heat.
• Broil 5 minutes then baste.
• Broil 15 minutes longer.
• Turn hen over; baste and broil 15 minutes, basting 1 to 2 times.
• Place pineapple around hens and sprinkle with sugar. (Be sure to put in the juice). Broil 5 minutes.
• Mix parsley with rice.
• Serve hens over the rice with pineapple slices and drippings for gravy.
• Serve with lemon wedges or slices for garnish as well as for more lemon flavor on hens.

ROASTED CORNISH HEN WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425° F. Remove all visible fat and the neck and giblets from the Cornish hens. Rinse the hens under cold water and pat them dry inside and out with paper towels. Season the birds generously with salt and pepper, inside and out. Place one rosemary sprig, 2 sage leaves, and 1 bay leaf in the body cavity of each bird.
• Heat the oil in a heavy, flameproof roasting pan or very large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions, carrots, celery, porcini, and the remaining rosemary and sage leaves and cook, stirring, until the scallions are wilted, about 4 minutes. Smooth the vegetables into an even layer and nestle the prepared birds, breast side up, over them. Roast, basting frequently with enough of the chicken stock to keep the vegetables well moistened, until the vegetables and hens are golden brown-about 45 minutes.
• Carefully tilt the pan and spoon off enough of the roasting juices to measure 1 cup, not including fat. Stir the balsamic vinegar and honey into the measured juices until the honey is dissolved. Return the birds to oven and roast, basting occasionally with the honey mixture, until the birds are a rich mahogany color and the leg joint moves easily when you wiggle it, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the birds from the oven, transfer them to a platter or plates, and cover with a tent of aluminum foil to keep them warm. Strain the pan juices through a sieve into a small saucepan, pressing as much of the liquid from the vegetables as possible. Skim the fat from the surface of the sauce, and bring the sauce to a simmer while carving the birds. With a pair of kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbones to remove them. Cut the birds in half through the center breastbone. Cut each half into leg and breast portions. Arrange the pieces on a platter or plates, and spoon some of the roasting juices over them. Pass the remaining sauce separately.

CORNISH HEN WITH TART CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine sea salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and paprika in a bowl. Place hens on a baking sheet and evenly brush with 5 tablespoons butter. Rub hens with spice mixture.
• Bake hens in preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour with white wine. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Mix cherries, red wine, orange juice, and brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the sauce; whisk until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle cherry sauce over cooked hens.

BROILED CORNISH HENS WITH LEMON AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source, a little lower for a chicken, which will take longer to cook. Use a sharp, sturdy knife to split the hens through their backbones; it will cut through without too much effort. Flatten the hens in a broiling or roasting pan, skin side down, and liberally sprinkle the exposed surfaces with salt and pepper. Slice one of the lemons as thinly as you can and lay the slices on the birds.
• Broil for about 10 minutes, or until the lemon is browned and the birds appear cooked on this side; rotate the pan in the oven if necessary. Turn the birds, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and return to the broiler. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the skin of the birds is nicely browned. Meanwhile, slice the remaining lemon as you did the first.
• Lay the lemon slices on the birds' skin side and return to the broiler; broil for another 5 minutes, by which time the lemons will be slightly browned and the meat cooked through; if it isn't, cook for an additional couple of minutes. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar, garnish if you like, and serve.
• Variation
• In step 3, spread 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic combined with 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried) on the birds' skin after it browns but before covering with the lemon slices.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH PEACH GLAZE

Steps:

• Cut the hens down the backbone (split).
• Brine the hens: dissolve the salt in water,put hens& salted water into large bowl.
• (I usually put them into a large plactic bag) refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove hens, Rinse thoroughly, pat dry, prick the skin allover the breast and legs with point of paring knife.
• Melt the butter in small pan& mix with preserves.
• Add salt, pepper& basil.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place hens in shallow pan (I usually line pan with foil for easy clean-up).
• Rub hens with butter.
• Spoon butter& preserve mixture over hens.
• Bake 35 to 45 minutes.