Spicy Maple Cornish Hens Recipes

MAPLE ORANGE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In small saucepan, whisk together maple syrup, orange juice, wine (if using) and rosemary. Bring to boil; boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until glaze is slightly thickened. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, cut wing tips from hens. Using kitchen shears or sharp knife, cut along each side of back bone; discard backbone. Cut through breastbone to separate into halves. Trim off excess fat and skin. Gently loosen skin from each half of hens, leaving skin attached at back side. Startinng at breast, ease in orange rind over flesh under skin.
• Place hens, skin side up, on foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; brush with 1/3 of glaze. Roast in 375 F oven, brushing with glaze twice, for 45 minutes or until browned and juices run clear when hen is pierced.
• Arrange hens on serving platter; garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and orange slices, if desired.

GARAM MASALA RUBBED CORNISH HEN WITH MAPLE-TAMARIND GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Season entire hen with salt, including the cavity. Push the wings back and rub the garam masala over the entire hen. Place on a lightly oiled baking rack set over a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Brush with some of the glaze and reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue baking until just cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes longer or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg registers 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven, brush with the remaining glaze, and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Alternatively, you can sear the hens in an oven-safe saute pan over medium-high heat and then transfer pan to the oven to finish cooking.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and ginger and cook until soft. Add red chili flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in chicken stock and peppercorns and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in maple syrup and tamarind paste and cook for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before using.

SWEET AND SPICY GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine juice, jerk seasoning and oil. Rinse halved hens and pat dry with paper towels. Put the hens in a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade. Turn hens in the bag to coat evenly. Close the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the hens from the marinade and place in a roasting pan, breast-side up. Pour the remaining marinade over the hens. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
• Garnish with cilantro.

CORNISH HENS WITH MAPLE-MUSTARD GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 4 ingredients in small saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter melts, stirring until well combined.
• Pat hens dry. Tie legs together to hold shape. Place in small baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Brush with maple mixture. Roast until juices run clear when hens are pierced in thickest part of thighs, basting occasionally with glaze, about 1 hour.

SWEET-AND-SPICY CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the jelly, the lemon and lime juices, the Worcestershire sauce, and the jalapeño and heat the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the jelly is just melted. Pat the Cornish hens dry, sprinkle them with salt and black pepper, and arrange the halves, skin sides down, on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan. Brush the halves with some of the sauce and roast them in the lower third of a preheated 500°F. oven for 15 minutes. Baste the halves with the sauce, turn them, and roast them, basting them after 7 minutes, for 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pricked with a skewer.