Cornish Hens With Strawberry Balsamic Sauce Recipes

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.

BACON-WRAPPED CORNISH HENS WITH RASPBERRY BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Briskly simmer jam and vinegar in a small saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until glaze is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature (glaze will thicken slightly as it cools).
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Cook bacon in batches in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until some of fat is rendered but bacon is still translucent and pliable, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Cut out and discard backbone from each hen with kitchen shears, then halve each hen lengthwise. Pat hens dry and season with salt and pepper, then arrange, cut sides down, in a large roasting pan. Brush hens liberally with glaze, reserving remainder, and wrap 2 slices of bacon around each half hen, tucking ends under. Roast in middle of oven, brushing with pan juices and reserved glaze twice (every 10 minutes), until juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, 30 to 35 minutes.

ROASTED ORANGE-TARRAGON CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Remove and discard giblet, if any. Rinse hens inside and out and pat dry. Loosen skin from the breasts and place hens in a large resealable plastic bag.
• Whisk orange juice, orange zest, tarragon, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Whisking continually, slowly drizzle in olive oil until combined. Pour marinade over the hens in the bag, making sure to get some under the skin. Seal bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Remove hens from the bag, letting excess marinade drip off; pour remaining marinade into a small saucepan and set aside. Place hens in a small roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wing tips underneath.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue cooking, basting with pan juices every 10 to 15 minutes, until hens are golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes more.
• Transfer hens to a serving plate, pouring any cavity juices back into the roasting pan. Tent with aluminum foil and keep warm.
• Scrape pan juices and pour through a strainer into the saucepan with the reserved marinade. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Season sauce with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Serve Cornish hens whole or cut in half. Spoon pan sauce over hens to serve.

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.

CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the sliced onion in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the giblets from the hens, and rinse them inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outsides dry. Place the hens on top of the sliced onion.
• Pack the cavities of the hens with the cornbread stuffing.
• Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the hens. Rub the hens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast the hens for 30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh.
• Melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Break the cornbread into pieces and place the pieces in a large bowl. Add the onion mixture to the cornbread. Add the celery, chicken stock, parsley, salt and pepper, and mix together.
• Yield: 2 servings

CONTEST-WINNING ORANGE-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to at 350°. Tie legs of each hen together; turn wing tips under backs. Place on a greased rack in a roasting pan. Brush with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 15 minutes. Spoon over hens. Bake until a thermometer reads 170°, about 15 minutes longer.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and orange juice. Spoon some of the apricot mixture over the hens. Bake until golden brown and juices run clear, 30-35 minutes, basting several times with remaining apricot mixture. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BACON-WRAPPED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH RASPBERRY BALSAMIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Briskly simmer jam and vinegar in small saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until glaze is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
• About 8 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature (glaze will thicken slightly as it cools).
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Cook bacon in batches, over med.
• heat until some of the fat is rendered but bacon is still translucent and pliable, 5-7 minutes.
• Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Cut and discard back bones from each hen with kitchen shears and then halve each hen length wise.
• Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange cut sides down, in a large roasting pan.
• Wrap 2 slices around each half hen, tucking ends under.
• Brush liberally with glaze, reserving the remainder.
• Roast in the middle of the oven, brushing with pan juices and reserved glaze twice (every 10 minutes), until juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, 30-35 minutes.