Cornish Game Hens With Apricot Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450. Using kitchen twine, tie hens legs together; tuck wing tips underneath. Rub hens with a total of 1 tablespoon oil and 3/4 teaspoon thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Place hens, breast side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Cover loosely with aluminum foil; let rest 5 to 10 minutes.
• While hens are roasting, make sauce: In a large skillet with a lid, heat remaining oil over medium; add onion and garlic, and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine, and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, cream, honey, lemon juice, and apricots; raise heat to high, and boil until mixture (including solids) is reduced to 2 cups, 12 to 15 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Return sauce to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package instructions. Add remaining thyme, and season with salt and pepper; fluff with a fork. Halve hens; serve with couscous and sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Rehydrate the apricots by covering them with boiling water and steeping them for 10 minutes before draining and slicing into quarters. Pit and roughly chop the dates, mix them with the apricots, and set aside. Combine the sugar with all of the liquid ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes, then set aside.
• Season the Cornish Hens, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Place 1 bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme inside each bird and close the body cavity by tieing with twine or with a skewer or toothpicks so that the bird holds its shape.
• Brush the hens with olive oil, place them breast side down in a roasting pan, and roast for 20 minutes. At the end of 20 minutes, pour off any excess fat from the pan turn the birds breast side up and roast 20 minutes more. At the end of this 20 minute roasting period, add the apricots, dates, and the liquid to the roasting pan, and braise the contents of the pan together for another 25 minutes. Check the oven every so often to see that the liquid has not all evaporated. If it has, add enough water to keep the bottom third of the hens moist.
• At the end of the cooking time, allow the hens to rest 10 minutes before serving. Place one hen on each dish and pour some of the apricot and date sauce over the top.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400º.
• Rinse and dry game hen halves and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on foil lined baking sheet.
• Combine jam, chutney, and curry powder in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Once mixture comes to a boil brush two tablespoons over the game hens. Reserve the rest of the mixture for a sauce.
• Bake games in the oven for about 35 minutes or until golden.
• Add chicken broth to the remaining mixture in the sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened.
• When ready to serve, place games hens on a plate of rice and top with lime juice, spoon sauce around the plate. Sprinkle with green onions and crushed peanuts.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a cookie sheet generously with cooking spray.
• Combine apricot preserves, Sriracha, Worcestershire, and butter in a small pot and melt over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent from sticking.
• Clean hens and pat dry with paper towels. Coat outsides and insides with oil. Season with mango-habanero seasoning; insert sprigs of basil inside of the hens.
• Place hens on the prepared cookie sheet and cover with foil.
• Cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and baste with apricot glaze. Put back in the oven and cook until no longer pink in the centers, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice half the onion and place slices on baking sheet. Dice the rest of the onion for stuffing. Set aside.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and ginger and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 3 tablespoons apricot jam and chicken stock. and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add bread cubes. Stir and coat bread cubes. Let cool while preparing hens.
• Wash and dry game hens. Season inside cavity with salt and pepper. Fill cavity with about 1/2 cup of the stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and use skewers to close cavity. Place breast side up on bed of onions. Season with salt and pepper.
• GLAZE: Combine softened butter and 2 tablespoons apricot jam and spread over game hens.
• Roast uncovered in a preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 170°F Remove from oven, let rest about 10 minutes. To serve, cut each hen in half and serve with stuffing.
• TIPS: Blueberry or Wildberry jam would be great with this as well.

Steps:

• Brining the hens before roasting improves their flavor: Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt in a clean bucket filled with 5 quarts of water. Add prepared hens and soak for 2 hours. Rinse thoroughly; pat dry.
• Adjust oven rack to upper middle position, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in apricots, then spread mixture onto a large (about 18-by-12-inch) lipped cookie sheet. Lay hens over the mixture. Mix jam and vinegar, and brush all but a few tablespoons over hens.
• Bake hens, brushing 2 or 3 times with remaining jam mixture and accumulated pan juices, until hens are golden brown and juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Turn heat from bake to broil, then cook until hens are spotty brown, watching carefully so they don't burn, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a large platter with tongs, then cut in half at the breastbone to create individual servings.
• Return apricot dressing to the oven and broil to evaporate some of the excess liquid, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in pistachios and parsley. Spoon in a mound next to hens.

Steps:

• Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Puree sauce in processor. Strain into small bowl. (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place game hens, cut side down, on small baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Continue baking until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced, about 20 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add yams, onion and ginger; sauté until yams are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Cook rice in small saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Drain rice. Add rice to yam mixture in skillet. Add Riesling and stir over low heat to blend. Add mascarpone and stir to melt. Season with salt and pepper.
• Rewarm sauce. Spoon risotto onto plates. Top with hen. Sprinkle with nuts, parsley and orange peel. Drizzle sauce around risotto.
• *Italian cream cheese, available at Italian markets and many supermarkets. If unavailable, blend 8 ounces cream cheese with 1/4 cup whipping cream and 2 1/2 tablespoons sour cream. Use 2/3 cup mixture for the recipe.

Steps:

• In shallow dish, mix the soy sauce, apricot preserves, ginger, garlic, wine, and sugar. Place the hens in the dish, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Arrange the hen halves in a baking dish. Pour remaining marinade over the hens. Bake uncovered 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, basting frequently with the marinade, until hen juices run clear.

Steps:

• Wash Cornish Hens and pat dry.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Mix together Catalina dressing, apricot preserves, dry mustard and sherry in a separate bowl.
• Coat hens with 1/2 mixture.
• Place hens in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish that has been greased or sprayed.
• Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and pour remaining sauce over hens.
• Reduce heat to 325, cover hens with foil continue to bake 45 minutes longer or until tender and golden.
• Serve with pan juices.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in the pressure cooker.
• Brown the hens well on both sides.
• Stuff each hen with 6 prunes and 4 apricots, interspersing the lemon slices among the dried fruits.
• Truss the hens and set aside.
• In the fat remaining in the cooker, saute the shallots, celery and ginger for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the stock and salt; scrape up any browned bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Place the hens side by side in the sauce.
• (You may need to put one hen on its side) Place the sweet potatoes on top Lock the lid in place and over high heat bring to high pressure.
• Adjust the heat to maintain high pressure and cook for 10 minutes.
• Quick release the pressure and check for doness by inserting a knife into the drumstick joint; if the meat is still pink, lock the lide back in place and return to high pressure, and cook for another minute or two.
• Transfer the hens to a platter; remove the trussing.
• Reserve in a warm place.
• Add the orange zest and Grand Marnier and boil the sauce over high heat until the alcohol burns off and the sauce is reduced slightly, about 3-4 minutes.
• Serve in a sauce boat, or pour over the stuffed hens.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix first 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons salsa mixture to small bowl and stir in oil and allspice. Place hen halves on rack set on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; brush with oil mixture. Roast until juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 25 minutes. Transfer hen halves to plates. Spoon remaining salsa mixture on top.

Steps:

• In large skillet, saute the mushrooms, pecans, and onion in 4 tbsp butter until tender. Stir in the rice, apricots, parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
• Spoon about 3/4 cup rice mixture into each hen; tie legs together with kitchen string. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Melt remaining butter; brush over hens.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees for hens and 165 degrees for stuffing. In a small saucepan, warm preserves and vinegar; spoon over hens. Bake 15 minutes longer.

Steps:

• Melt six tablespoons of chicken fat or oil in a large pan or skillet. Sprinkle the hens with salt, pepper and one teaspoon of the cinnamon.
• In another large pan, add the remaining chicken fat or oil and the onions, and cook over low heat for five minutes or until the onions are transparent. Add the remaining three teaspoons of cinnamon and the cloves and cook for about three more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Coarsely chop half of the soaked apricots and set aside. Add about one-half cup of reserved tomato liquid to the remaining half of the soaked apricots and puree in a processor or blender. Take the pureed apricots, the chopped tomatoes, one cup of the chicken stock and add them to the onion mixture. Simmer, uncovered, for five minutes.
• Puree two cups of the onion mixture. Return to pan, add the chopped apricots, brown sugar and chicken stock and enough liquid to make a medium-thick sauce.
• In a casserole large enough to hold the meat in one layer, place half the sauce. Add the hens and cover with the remaining sauce. Bake, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until done .

Steps:

• Combine the salt and cayenne. Rub a third of the mixture inside hens. Brush 1 tablespoon butter over hens; sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Place on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the preserves, honey, onion, nutmeg and remaining butter. Cook and stir until preserves are melted. Brush over hens. Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until golden brown and a thermometer reads 180°. Cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until tender; remove from heat. Add the bread, mushrooms and seasonings. Toss with enough chicken broth just to moisten. , Stuff hens. Tie drumsticks together. Place on a rack in a large shallow baking pan. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. , Brush with preserves. Bake, uncovered, 30-45 minutes longer or until meat juices run clear, basting every 10-15 minutes. , If using green onions, first soften them in boiling water or the microwave for a few seconds, then tie over the string used to tie the drumsticks together. Garnish platter with rosemary if desired.

Steps:

• Combine butter, lemon rind, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Remove 2 tablespoons of butter mixture and reserve. Lay hens flat, skin-side up. With fingertips starting at the breast, loosen skin from meat. Spread butter mixture on meat under the skin. Season hens with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of seasoned butter in skillet on medium-high heat. When butter sizzles, place hens skin-side down in butter and fry for 5 minutes or until skin is golden. Do not crowd skillet. Repeat on second side. Reserve skillet for sauce. Pour fat out of skillet and add mustard and apricot jam. On medium heat, stir together and cook until combined. Pour in stock and bring to boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Roast hens for 25 to 30 minutes or until juices run clear on a baking sheet. Cut each hen in half and serve 2 halves per person. Glaze with sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and orange juice. Spoon some of the apricot mixture over the hens. Bake until golden brown and juices run clear, 30-35 minutes, basting several times with remaining apricot mixture. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.