Cornish Game Hens With Pancetta Juniper Berries And Beets Recipes

THE BEST BAKED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Rub hens with butter.
• Combine other ingredients and use to baste hens.
• Bake at 350F for 1 hour, basting with lemon mixture every 10 minutes. If serving with rice, spoon remaining lemon mixture over rice.
• Enjoy!

HERB-BRINED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, sage, garlic, thyme, rosemary and 1 quart water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add the cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Place a turkey-sized oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add hens. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and discard brine; pat hens dry., Meanwhile, place the peppercorns and garlic in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the butter, 3 tablespoons olive oil and herbs; cover and process until smooth. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from hens; rub half the butter mixture under skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks; tie drumsticks together. Rub remaining butter mixture over skin., In a 15x10x1-in. baking pan, toss the Brussels sprouts and onions with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer. Place hens, breast side up, on top of the vegetables. Bake at 450° until thermometer inserted in breast reads 165°, 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if hens brown too quickly., Remove hens and vegetables to a serving platter; cover and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. If desired, garnish with additional herbs.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH PANCETTA, JUNIPER BERRIES AND BEETS

Steps:

• Position 1 rack in top third of oven and second rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Mix 1 1/2 cups chopped beet greens, pancetta and juniper berries in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill hen cavities with pancetta mixture, dividing equally. Tie hen legs together. Place hens in heavy large roasting pan. Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over hens. Sprinkle hens with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Roast hens on bottom rack in oven until golden and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss chopped beets with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on heavy large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange beets in single layer. Roast beets on top rack in oven until tender and beginning to caramelize, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer hens to plates. Remove string. Scrape up any browned bits from bottom of roasting pan. Pour pan juices through sieve into 2-cup glass measuring cup. Spoon fat off top of pan juices.
• Spoon beets around hens. Drizzle pan juices around hens and serve.