Skillet Roasted Game Hens Wfingerlings And Sprouts Recipes

SKILLET ROASTED GAME HENS W/FINGERLINGS AND SPROUTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees with cast iron skillet in the oven while it's pre-heating.
• To prepare the hens, gently pull the legs out and away from the body so that they become dis-jointed and lie flat on either side of the body.
• Rub 1/2 tablespoon olive oil all over each hen. Sprinke each with seasoning blend to taste outside and inside the cavity; set aside.
• Wash the potatoes and toss them into a bowl with about 1/2″ of water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on high in the microwave. Discard water and set aside.
• Remove the pan from the hot oven and drop bacon pieces onto one half of the pan.
• Place the chickens into the other half of the pan, breast up. Make sure to place the legs and thighs flat against the bottom of the pan. Put the skillet back into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven, brush breasts with a few dabs of the bacon drippings. To the pan add the potatoes and garlic slices over 1/2 of the bacon pieces and the brussels sprouts over the other half of the bacon pieces. Toss the potatoes and brussel sprouts with the bacon pieces to coat them in some of the fat.
• Put the pan back into the oven and lower the heat to 350 degrees. Continue to cook for 45-50 minutes longer or until the juices from the legs and thighs run clear when pierced.
• Serve with pan juices.

ROASTED GAME HEN WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees with racks in top and bottom. Place hen, breast-side down, on a work surface. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of backbone to remove. Flip over; split lengthwise with a heavy knife. Pat dry; season with salt and pepper. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer sheet to bottom rack of oven.
• In an ovenproof skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high. Add hen, skin-side down; cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip; transfer skillet to top rack of oven. Roast, stirring vegetables once, until golden, and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of hen thigh reads 165 degrees, 18 to 20 minutes for hen, and 25 to 28 minutes for vegetables. Transfer hen and vegetables to a platter. Return skillet to medium heat; whisk in mustard, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water, and capers. Cook until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in tarragon; spoon over vegetables. Serve, with more mustard.

GARLIC PAN- ROASTED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until almost smoking. Add the game hens, skin side down, and saute for 5 minutes or until golden. With tongs, turn the hens over, add the garlic and saute for another 5 minutes.
• Add the vinegar and broth which will bubble up, then the thyme and rosemary. Cover and simmer, over low heat, for 25 to 30 minutes or until the juices run clear, not rosy, when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Transfer the hens to a plate. Stir the mustard into the juices in the skillet and boil down furiously, until 1/2 cup of liquid remains, scraping the brown cooking particles into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, spoon over the hens and serve immediately.

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.