Aromatic, juicy, and bursting with festive flavors, Cranberry Stuffed Cornish Game Hens are the epitome of a delightful holiday feast. These tender game hens are carefully stuffed with a savory breadcrumb mixture, aromatic herbs, tangy cranberries, and a hint of zesty orange zest. Perfectly roasted to achieve a crispy, golden-brown skin and succulent, flavorful meat, these game hens are an impressive centerpiece for any special occasion. Alongside the main dish, this article also unveils tantalizing recipes for a flavorful Cranberry Sauce, a creamy Mashed Sweet Potato Casserole topped with a crispy pecan streusel, classic Herb Gravy, and the ultimate dessert indulgence, a rich and decadent Chocolate Peppermint Tart. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey that will leave your taste buds dancing with joy!
Let's cook with our recipes!
STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE
This recipe was e-mailed to me by a friend. I made it this year for Christmas Eve dinner with great raves and success so I wanted to share it with you.
Provided by Judith N.
Categories Chicken
Time 1h45m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Prepare the glaze: Combine cranberries and wine in saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
- Stir in honey and continue to simmer 2 minutes.
- Strain glaze, stir in oil and set aside.
- Prepare the game hens and stuffing: Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, add onion, celery and cranberries.
- Saute for 3 minutes.
- Add sauteed mixture to the French bread cubes.
- Let cool.
- Stir in chicken broth, parsley, sage, thyme, 1/4 Tsp.
- salt and 1/8 Tsp.
- pepper.
- Stuff game hens with the stuffing and tie drumsticks together with kitchen string.
- Place hens in a roasting pan.
- Brush some of glaze over each game hen and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
- Place in a preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting for 45 minutes longer.
- Baste hens with glaze and sprinkle with salt and pepper (salt& pepper is optional, I didn't do it) twice more during the cooking time.
- Remove hens from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
- Cut strings and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 768.5, Fat 17.9, SaturatedFat 5.1, Cholesterol 225.1, Sodium 1225, Carbohydrate 82.6, Fiber 6.8, Sugar 16.8, Protein 58.9
CRANBERRY-GLAZED CORNISH HENS
Oregon is noted for its cranberry production and has many bogs throughout the state. In the Northwest, we use cranberries in a great variety of ways-in sauce, as a complement to meats, and in baked goods like cakes and muffins.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h5m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- In 1-qt. saucepan, combine the gravy, cranberry sauce, mustard and orange zest. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until glaze is smooth., Cut hens in half lengthwise; rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on rack with drip pan, skin side down; spoon half of the glaze over hens. , Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Turn hens; bake 25 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with remaining glaze., Serve on bed of wild rice and garnish with twists of thinly sliced orange.
Nutrition Facts : Fat 63 g fat (17 g saturated fat), Cholesterol 450 mg cholesterol, Sodium 504 mg sodium, Carbohydrate 12 g carbohydrate, Fiber trace fiber, Protein 77 g protein.
STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS
THIS ENTREE makes an ordinary day special. Whenever I cook Cornish hens for my husband and me, it stirs up warm memories of family times around the holiday dinner table. I bake the extra stuffing separately so we're sure to have enough. -Nancy Aubrey, Ruidoso, New Mexico
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h20m
Yield 2 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large skillet or saucepan, saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in cornbread, bread crumbs, pimientos, broth, egg, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well. , Stuff each hen with 3/4 cup stuffing. Place extra stuffing in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Place hens breast side up on a rack in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 375° for 45 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the remaining butter; add garlic, lemon zest, mint and remaining salt and pepper. Brush over hens. Bake 15-30 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, for 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1728 calories, Fat 106g fat (44g saturated fat), Cholesterol 601mg cholesterol, Sodium 3675mg sodium, Carbohydrate 106g carbohydrate (9g sugars, Fiber 7g fiber), Protein 82g protein.
HERB CORNISH HENS WITH CRANBERRY-ORANGE SAUCE
Baked Cornish hens are smothered in a delicious cranberry-orange sauce with a touch of ginger.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 1h35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350°F. On rack in shallow roasting pan, place hens, breast sides up. Brush with oil. Sprinkle inside and out with salt, dried thyme and pepper. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh and does not touch bone.
- Bake uncovered 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until juice of hens is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F).
- Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat cranberry sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Stir in marmalade, gingerroot and clementine sections. Cook 1 minute.
- To serve, cut each hen in half along backbone and breastbone from tail to neck, using kitchen scissors. Serve hens with warm sauce. Garnish with thyme sprigs.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 770, Carbohydrate 29 g, Cholesterol 320 mg, Fat 5, Fiber 0 g, Protein 55 g, SaturatedFat 13 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 470 mg, Sugar 25 g, TransFat 1 g
CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE
Provided by Pierre Franey
Categories dinner, main course
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Put the game hens in a shallow, flameproof baking dish without crowding. Rub the hens all over with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut the onion in half and place the halves, cut side down, around the hens. Arrange the gizzards and livers around the hens.
- Place the baking dish with hens on top of the stove over low heat. Turn the hens around in the dish to coat with the oil. Arrange the hens on their sides. Place in the oven and bake 15 minutes, basting often.
- Turn the hens to other side and continue baking 15 minutes, basting often.
- Turn the hens breast side up and continue baking about 10 minutes, basting often.
- Transfer the hens to a heated serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Skim off most of the fat from the pan liquid in the baking dish. Put the baking dish on top of the stove and bring the pan liquid to a boil. Add the wine and stir to dissolve any brown particles that may cling to the bottom of the pan. Strain the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook down to about half and add the honey, chicken broth and tomato paste. Stir. Add any liquid that has accumulated inside or around the hens. Add the cranberries and bring to a boil.
- Cook until the cranberries pop, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Swirl in the butter. Add salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the hens and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 834, UnsaturatedFat 37 grams, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 57 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 59 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 1161 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams
CRANBERRY-STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS
Dried cranberries add plenty of flavor to these Cornish game hens.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dinner Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread out diced bread on a rimmed baking sheet; toastin oven, turning occasionally, until light brown and dry, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.
- Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add leek, mushrooms, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in bread, chopped sage, parsley, mustard, thyme, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup broth.
- Spoon stuffing into bird cavities; tie legs together with kitchen twine. Rub birds with butter, then sprinkle with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Arrange birds on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. Roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thighs (avoiding bone) registers 170 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer rack with birds to a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest.
- Set roasting pan on top of stove across two burners; set heat to medium-high. Add port and remaining 1/4 cup broth; deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add remaining 1/4 cup dried cranberries; cook, stirring, until sauce reduces slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Place birds on a serving platter, and drizzle sauce over them. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 487 g, Cholesterol 223 g, Fat 13 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 53 g, Sodium 759 g
Tips:
- Brine the Cornish game hens: This will help keep them moist and flavorful during cooking.
- Use fresh cranberries: Fresh cranberries have a brighter flavor than frozen cranberries.
- Toast the pecans: Toasting the pecans will bring out their flavor and make them more fragrant.
- Don't overstuff the Cornish game hens: Overstuffing can make the hens difficult to cook evenly.
- Roast the Cornish game hens until they are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
- Let the Cornish game hens rest for 10 minutes before carving: This will help the juices redistribute throughout the meat.
Conclusion:
Cranberry-stuffed Cornish game hens are a delicious and festive dish that is perfect for a holiday meal. With their moist and flavorful meat, tangy cranberry stuffing, and crispy pecan crust, these Cornish game hens are sure to impress your guests.
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