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Cornish Game Hens are a nice alternative to chicken or turkey. They are elegant and easy to prepare and make a nice presentation on a platter. Light eaters may only want a half of these little birds. The stuffing mixture can also be used to stuff chickens or turkeys, increase the quantity as needed.
Cornish Game Hens with
Fruited Wild Rice Stuffing
Wild Rice Stuffing (recipe follows)
4 Rock Cornish Game hens, thawed, if frozen
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Fruited Wild Rice Stuffing
1 cup wild rice
8 cups cold water
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
¼ cup finely diced onion
¼ cup chopped apple
¼ cup dried cranberries
In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, 4 cups of the water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, drain water. Add the remaining 4 cups of water, bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes, until the rice is chewy/tender to the bite. Drain if needed.
Note: The draining of the first cooking water before continuing produces a milder tasting finished product. This step may be omitted, if desired, but the rice may have a stronger flavor.
In another saucepan, melt butter and add the diced onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the apple and cranberries and continue cooking and stirring until the apple is slightly soft. Stir in the rice. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375° F
Rinse the game hens. Remove and discard the plastic bag of giblets (if present) in the cavity. Gently spoon some of the Wild Rice Stuffing into the cavity of the hens, do not overstuff. Place any remaining stuffing in an ovenproof covered casserole, and cook alongside the hens.
Rub the remaining butter over the game hens and roast, uncovered, in the oven 45-60 minutes, until the Pop Up® Timer deploys, or a temperature indicator devise reads 165° F. Remove from oven, place on a serving platter and cover with tented foil and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.
Optional: While the hens are resting, make a sauce. Heat the roasting pan on the stove and with a wooden spoon, loosen the crisp bits from the pan (if a glass pan was used, transfer the juices and crisp bits into a metal saucepan). Add ½ - 1 cup white wine and continue stirring and heating until the mixture boils. Boil 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2-3 tablespoon cold butter until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with the rice.
Serves 4
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