Cornish Hen Pot Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat a panini press on high.
• Place the game hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Spray the bottom of the panini press with the nonstick cooking spray. Place the bird, skin side up onto the press, pray the skin side with non-stick cooking spray and close the lid. Top the press with a 10-pound weight and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
• Allow to rest 3 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• For the hen: Put the hen in a 1 gallon re-sealable plastic bag with the water, honey, and salt. Seal the bag and move around vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to distribute the honey and dissolve the salt. Set the bag in a leak-proof container and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the pastry: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the flour and salt in a small mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the milk, water, and lard in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the flour all at once, and stir with a wooden spoon until combined and the mixture begins to form into a ball of dough.
• Place the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until cooled, approximately 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half, and divide one of the pieces in half again. Set aside.
• For the egg wash: Combine the egg and water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• To build the pot pie: Remove the hen from the brine and pat dry. Use kitchen shears to cut away the skin from the breast of the hen. Place the dried fruit into the cavity of the hen and tie the legs with butchers twine. Place the hen in the center of a piece of parchment and trace an oval approximately 1/2-inch larger than the hen, approximately 8 1/2 inches long by 6 1/2 inches wide. Remove the hen from the parchment and turn the paper over to avoid getting pencil on the dough.
• Roll the two quarters of dough into ovals according to the template; this is the base and the top of the pot pie. Place one of the ovals in the center of the parchment. Set the other oval aside. Roll the remaining half of dough into a 1/2-inch thick and 4-inch wide strip of dough that will go around the oval piece and surround the hen. Brush around the edge of the base pastry with egg wash. Place the thyme sprigs on the base, then top with the hen. Place the 4-inch wide strip of dough around the hen, forming a "wall" around the hen. Press the ends together. Press down to seal this to the base pastry. Sprinkle the hen with the allspice, black pepper, cumin, and paprika. Brush the top of the "wall" with egg wash. Place the remaining oval of pastry on top of the hen and crimp, attaching the top to the wall. Patch any holes with excess dough. Brush the entire pastry with egg wash. Bake until the hen reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, about1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Cut the Cornish hens into eight pieces, reserving the wing tips, necks and backs for stock. Pat pieces dry with paper towels and dredge them lightly with flour. Fry them until golden in the oil and set aside.
• To prepare the stock, combine the celery, onion, carrots, hen backs, wing tips and necks in a stockpot. Add eight cups cold water, salt, pepper and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, turn down and let simmer while you prepare the remaining ingredients for the pies.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast the pearl onions in a pan with the olive oil until tender (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, in a large, heavy frying pan, brown the bacon, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour the fat from the pan. Add two tablespoons of the butter and when it is melted saute the cabbage for a minute or two. Remove from the pan and set aside. Stir in the sherry vinegar and the creme fraiche.
• Melt the remaining butter in the saucepan and gently saute the shallots and the mushrooms.
• Line two eight-cup pie dishes or eight two-cup pie dishes with the cabbage. Add hen pieces, tongue, mushrooms, onions, peas and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Add a quarter-inch of stock. Brush the rims of the pie dishes with the egg yolk. Roll out pastry one-eighth inch thick and place on top, brushing egg yolk. Bake 35 to 40 minutes.