Stuffed Cornish Game Hens
April 7, 2002
Ingredients
3 slices bacon
1/2 C shredded carrot
2 Tbl snipped parsley
1/4 tsp dried savory, crushed (we used thyme)
dash pepper
1.5 dried bread cubes
1/4 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
2 1 to 1.5 lb Cornish game hens
cooking oil
1/4 C dry red or white wine (we used red)
1 Tbl margarine or butter, melted
2 Tbl orange juice
orange juice
1 Tbl cornstarch
1 Tbl brown sugar
1/s tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
oven 375 degrees
Preparation
Cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon; drain and crumble. Cook carrot in drippings over medium heat until tender; remove from heat. Stir in bacon, parsley, savory and pepper. Stir in bread cubes. Dissolve 1/4 tsp chicken bouillon granules in 2 Tbl hot water. Drizzle over bread mixture, tossing lightly.
Rinse hens; pat dry. Season cavities with salt. Lightly stuff hens with bread mixture. Pull neck skin, if present, to back of each hen. Twist wing tips under back, holding skin in place. Tie legs to tail. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil; cover loosely with foil. Roast in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Stir together wine, melted margarine or butter, and the 2 Tbl orange juice; brush on hens. Roast hens, uncovered, about 1 hour more or until tender and no longer pink, brushing with wine mixture twice.
For sauce, add additional orange juice to remaining wine mixture to make 3/4 cup. In a small sauce pan combine cornstarch, brown sugar and the 1/2 tsp bouillon granules. Stir in wine mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Serve sauce with hens.
Makes 4 servings.
We served the hens over Mediterranean flavored Cous-Cous.
