CORNISH GAME HENS

            

Today’s recipe is very special because it is a guest recipe from my daughter Joanna.  She is an excellent cook and I hope she shares her recipes with us often!  She made Cornish Game Hens for us recently and we enjoyed them so much.  If we’re lucky maybe she’ll share her special rice dish with us that she also served that night.  I hope you will try this recipe with your family.  It’s a great way to start off the New Year!

Ingredients:

6 Cornish Game Hens (Defrosted)

1 Onion (Roughly Chopped)

2 Oranges (Quartered)

Salt and Pepper

3 or more cups of water

Glaze:

2 Cups Orange Juice

¼ Cup Orange Zest

¼ Cup Soy Sauce

¼ Cup Honey

1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley

2 teaspoons Ground Ginger

½ Cup Vegetable Oil

Instructions:

1. Defrost Cornish Hens (If frozen).

2. Rinse, pat dry with paper towel, and sprinkle generously inside cavity and on skin with salt and pepper.

3.  Stuff hens loosely with onion and orange quarters.

4. Preheat oven to 350 and allow hens to sit while preheating.

5. Make glaze: mix all ingredients together and reserve 1 cup of the liquid to brush over hens throughout the roasting process. Put the rest of the liquid into a pot and bring to a boil. Then, allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Put hens on top of a rack in a roasting pan (spray rack and roasting pan with PAM).

 7. Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of the pan to prevent drippings from burning*.

8. Brush half of reserved glaze over hens and roast breast side up, uncovered**, in oven for 40 minutes.

9. After 40 minutes, turn hens over and brush reserved glaze on the bottom of the hens. Roast uncovered for 20 minutes.

10. Turn hens over once more and brush remaining reserved glaze over hens. Roast until golden brown. When hens are done, take a fork and pierce the thigh meat. If the juices run clear, they are done.

11. Spoon glaze that has been allowed to simmer over hens and serve.

*You may need more or less water depending on your roasting pan

**If the skin is turning too brown, cover loosely with foil and continue to cook.

Variation:

If you prefer, use an oven roasting bag(s) to cook the Cornish game hens.  This just tends to produce a less crispy and golden skin.