Tender Stuffed Cornish Hens Recipes

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to package directions.
• In a small skillet, saute celery and onion in 1 tbsp butter until tender. Stir in the soup, mushrooms and prepared rice.
• Sprinkle the inside and outside of the game hens with salt and pepper. Stuff with the rice mixture. Place on a rack in a greased shallow roasting pan; cover with foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove the foil. Melt the remaining butter; brush over the hens. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until the juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees for the hens and 165 degrees for the stuffing.

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute onion and rice in 2 tablespoons butter until rice is browned. Add the water, soup, lemon juice, chives, parsley and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Preheat oven to 375°., Sprinkle hen cavities with salt and pepper; stuff with rice mixture. Place with breast side up on a rack in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking pan. Melt remaining butter and add tarragon; brush some over the hens. , Cover loosely and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until a thermometer reads 170° for hens and 165° for stuffing, 30-45 minutes longer, basting frequently with tarragon butter.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook rice according to package directions. In a small skillet, saute celery and onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Stir in the soup, mushrooms and prepared rice., Sprinkle inside and outside of hens with salt and pepper. Stuff with rice mixture. Place on a rack in a greased shallow roasting pan; cover with foil. , Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Melt remaining butter; brush over hens. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season inside and out of cornish hens. In a bowl combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff vegetables into cavity of each bird to full capacity. Drizzle hens with remaining oil. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices across each hen, tucking ends under birds to keep in place. Place hens on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. Roast hens 45 minutes to 1 hour or until an instant reading thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes while you finish sauce. Bring sauce to a boil in roasting pan, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate any drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle hens with sauce.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season inside and out of cornish hens. In a bowl combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff vegetables into cavity of each bird to full capacity. Drizzle hens with remaining oil. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices across each hen, tucking ends under birds to keep in place. Place hens on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. Roast hens 45 minutes to 1 hour or until an instant reading thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes while you finish sauce. Bring sauce to a boil in roasting pan, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate any drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle hens with sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, combine basil, garlic, ricotta cheese and soft bread crumbs; bind the ingredients together with egg yolk.
• With heavy shears, cut each bird along one side of backbone and remove as much fat as possible. Cut backbone away; insert your fingers under the skin covering the breast and top of drumsticks. Loosen skin as much as possible and insert some stuffing between flesh and skin. Set bird halves, breast side up in a baking pan; rub olive oil over the skin and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake for about 10 minutes, lower heat to 375 degrees and bake for 35 to 40 minutes longer or until done; let bird rest 10 minute before serving to let stuffing settle and firm up. Serve with bread and 1 or 2 vegetable purees.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Put 6 tablespoons of the butter in a mixing bowl. Put the pecan meats into the container of an electric blender or spice mill and grind until fine. Do not grind too much, or you will make a paste. Add the pecans to the 6 tablespoons of butter. Add the Cognac, mustard, salt and pepper, and blend well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
• Insert the fingers underneath the skin of the breast and thighs of each hen. Make a fairly deep cavity to hold the stuffing. Spoon an equal portion of the pecan mixture beneath the skin of each hen, distributing the mixture evenly throughout the cavity. It is best if you truss the hens with string.
• Sprinkle the hens with salt and pepper. Arrange the hens breast-side-up on a baking dish. Brush each with a tablespoon of oil. Place the hens in the oven, and bake 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, drain the potatoes, and cut them into very thin slices. There should be about 5 cups. Put the slices in a colander and run them under very hot tap water. Pat dry, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Scatter the potato slices and the necks of the hens around the birds. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and continue baking 10 minutes, basting occasionally. Stir the potatoes so that they bake evenly. Turn the hens breast-side-down, and continue baking 20 minutes. Turn the hens breast-side-up and continue baking 10 minutes.
• Untruss the hens, and cut them in half lengthwise. Serve the potatoes sprinkled with parsley. Broccoli with tomatoes is a good accompaniment.

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable broth, 4 1/2 cups of water, the allspice berries, black peppercorns, and kosher salt to a boil in a large pot, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove the brine from the heat, and set aside to cool. When the brine is cool, place the Cornish hens into the brine and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the game hens from the brine, and pat dry. Discard the brine.
• Place the cut-up grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, rosemary, and thyme into a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 2 minutes; with tongs, stuff the fruit and herbs into the cavities of the Cornish hens. Slather each hen with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Place the stuffed hens into a roasting dish, breast sides up.
• Roast in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). For extra-crispy skin, turn the oven heat up to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for the last 15 minutes of cooking. Allow the hens to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook the carrots, celery, leeks, mushrooms & onion in the 2 tbsp of butter (margarine) for about 3 minutes.
• Add thyme, salt, pepper.
• Mix bread crumbs with the veggies.
• Cool mixture before stuffing birds.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch baking pan.
• Melt 1/2 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix in thyme, seasoned salt, parsley, black pepper, nutmeg, oregano, and marjoram.
• Transfer herb mixture to a large bowl. Add cubed bread and 2 cups chicken broth; toss until well combined. Spread stuffing evenly over the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Place Cornish hens on a flat work surface. Sprinkle salt inside the cavities.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add hens; season exteriors lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, turning to press all sides into the oil, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove hens from heat, reserving the oil.
• Spoon stuffing into the hen cavities; place hens in a slow cooker. Pour the reserved olive oil, wine, and 1/4 cup chicken broth into the slow cooker. Sprinkle sage, savory, and rosemary over the hens. Slice butter into 4 separate tablespoons and place on hens.
• Cook hens on Low until tender and juicy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 8 hours and 30 minutes.