Dive into a culinary journey with our delectable Stuffed Cornish Game Hens, where succulent flavors intertwine to create a feast for your senses. These plump and tender birds are carefully seasoned and stuffed with a savory blend of aromatic herbs, savory vegetables, and premium-quality sausage, resulting in a juicy and flavorful masterpiece. Accompanying the main event are three tantalizing recipes: a classic Pan Gravy that elevates the dish with its rich and flavorful jus, a delightful Cranberry-Orange Relish that adds a vibrant sweetness and tang, and a simple yet elegant Sautéed Asparagus that complements the game hens with its crisp-tender texture and subtle bitterness. Get ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will leave your taste buds dancing and your dinner guests asking for more.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
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.
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
STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH ORANGE SAUCE
I like this recipe because it not only tastes delicious, and makes a beautiful presentation, but is quick and easy to put together. You don't have to be an experienced gourmet chef to serve your family these special little birds.
Provided by Geema
Categories Chicken
Time 1h10m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Saute the chopped onions in the tablespoon of butter until soft.
- Mix rice, onions, apple, raisins and poultry seasoning together in a small bowl.
- Season the cornish hens well inside and out with salt and pepper.
- Place 1/2 cup stuffing into each hen cavity.
- Brush hens liberally with melted butter.
- Place hens, breast side up in a shallow baking pan.
- Cook for about 45 minutes depending on the size of the hens, basting once during the roasting time.
- Make Sauce: In small saucepan, cook the orange juice, brown sugar and butter until thickened, stirring frequently.
STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS
Steps:
- Spray a large oblong slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray. Rinse the Cornish hens in cold water. In a large mixing bowl combine the stuffing mix, dried cherries, and 1 cup of the chopped apple. Heat the chicken broth in the microwave for 2 minutes or until hot and pour it over the stuffing mix, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Place the stuffing in each rinsed Cornish hen, dividing the stuffing evenly among the hens. Put the stuffed hens into the prepared slow cooker. Peel and chop the squash and place it in a large mixing bowl. Put the remaining 3 1/2 cups of the chopped apples into the bowl with the squash. Add the brown sugar and stir until well mixed. Take two large pieces of foil, fold the long sides together to form one large piece of foil, and spray with nonfat cooking spray. Transfer the squash and apples to the foil. Fold the foil over the pile of squash and apples and roll the edges to seal the packet. Place the packet of squash and apples into the slow cooker on top of the hens. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 1/2 to 5 hours. When the hens are completely cooked through, remove the foil. Using tongs, remove the hens from the slow cooker and place in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish or on a platter. Cut each Cornish hen in half using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. Surround the hens with the squash and apple mixture. Sprinkle the paprika over the Cornish hens fbr a great presentation. Sprinkle seasoned salt over the tops of the Cornish hens and the squash and apple mixture and garnish with the grapes, if desired. Note: For a crispy, golden brown skin, put the hens in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and bake them in the oven at 500 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes.
CORNBREAD-STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CORN MAQUE CHOUX
Provided by Bruce Aidells
Categories Sauté Thanksgiving High Fiber Dinner Cheddar Apple Corn Fall Bon Appétit Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- For stuffing:
- Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; sauté until beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add apples; sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Mix in sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; transfer to large bowl. Let stand until almost cool, about 10 minutes.
- Mix cornbread into vegetables. Add egg and toss to blend. Mix in cheese, then enough apple cider by tablespoonfuls to form stuffing that is moist but not wet.
- Game hens:
- Sprinkle cavity of each hen lightly with salt and pepper. Pack 1 cup stuffing into each (place any leftover stuffing into buttered ramekins and cover with foil). Skewer cavities closed with toothpicks or turkey lacers. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together to hold shape. Mix sage, coarse salt, and pepper in small bowl; sprinkle over hens.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place 2 hens in skillet. Sauté until brown, turning often with wooden spoons (to prevent tearing skin), about 10 minutes. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet, breast side up. Repeat with remaining hens. Drape 2 bacon strip halves over breast of each hen. Using kitchen string, tie bacon strips in place. (Place any ramekins of stuffing on baking sheet with hens.)
- Place hens (and extra stuffing) in oven. Roast hens until cooked through and juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 45 minutes. (Roast stuffing 30 minutes.) Cut strings off hens. Transfer hens to plates. Spoon maque choux around hens and serve with extra stuffing.
FESTIVE STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS
These plump golden birds decorate holiday platters beautifully. Crusty ciabatta bread, moistened by juicy orange sections, makes wonderful stuffing.-Lisa Speer, Palm Beach, Florida
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, saute onion and celery in butter and 1 tablespoon oil until tender. Add the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 1 minute longer., In a large bowl, combine the bread, oranges, cranberries, pecans and orange zest. Add onion mixture; toss to coat., Loosely stuff hens with stuffing. Tuck wings under hens; tie drumsticks together. Rub with remaining oil; sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Place breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan., Roast 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 165° when inserted in center of stuffing and the thigh reaches at least 180°, basting hens occasionally with orange juice. Cover loosely with foil if hens brown too quickly. Cover and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts :
CORNISH HENS FARCI BOURGEOISE (GAME HENS STUFFED WITH SAUSAGE)
Provided by Craig Claiborne And Pierre Franey
Categories dinner, main course
Time 1h
Yield Eight servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Remove the necks, livers, hearts and gizzards from the hens. Trim off the tough membranes from the gizzards. Put the tender gizzard meat and hearts in the container of a food processor and blend well. Chop the livers finely.
- Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until wilted and add the sausage meat and gizzard and heart mixture. Cook, stirring with the side of a spoon to break up the lumps. Add the chopped livers and cook until the mixture loses its red color. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the egg, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Add the bread crumbs and stir. Let cool.
- Stuff the hens with equal portions of the mixture. Truss, if desired.
- Melt the remaining butter in a baking dish and add the hens, turning them in the butter until coated all over. Sprinkle the hens with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the birds on their sides. Place the onion in the center and scatter the necks around.
- Place the hens in the oven and bake 10 minutes, basting often. Turn the hens on their other sides and bake 10 minutes, basting. Turn them on their backs and bake 15 minutes longer, basting.
- Add the wine to the roasting pan and stir. Remove the hens and untruss. Serve half a chicken per person with the pan juices spooned over.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 523, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 8 grams, Fat 37 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 36 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 853 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams
STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS
Simple but elegant dish featuring games hens with a wild rice stuffing. Perfect romantic dinner for you and a special someone!
Provided by Wendelina
Categories Poultry
Time 1h50m
Yield 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat oven to 400.
- Season hens inside and out with salt & pepper. Set aside.
- In a small pan, sautee almonds, onions and rice in butter for 5-10 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add water, boullion, lemon and salt. Bring to a boil to dissolve boullion. Reduce heat, cover and simmer slowly for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Stir in mushrooms.
- Lightly stuff birds with stuffing.
- Place breast side up in a shallow baking pan. Brush with melted butter and roast uncovered at 400 for 30 minutes.
- Cover and roast an additional hour or until drumstick can be twisted easily in socket.
- Brush with butter during last 15 minutes.
- Serve with white wine.
Tips:
- To ensure the Cornish game hens are cooked evenly, preheat the oven to the correct temperature before placing them inside.
- For a flavorful stuffing, use a combination of aromatic herbs, vegetables, and spices. Consider herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage, and vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots.
- To prevent the stuffing from becoming dry, add some moisture. This can be achieved by including ingredients like butter, broth, or even fruit.
- To ensure the hens are cooked through, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
- For a crispy skin, baste the hens with butter or oil throughout the cooking process.
- Allow the hens to rest for a few minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.
Conclusion:
Creating a delicious and memorable stuffed Cornish game hen dish requires careful preparation, attention to detail, and a blend of flavors. By following these tips and experimenting with different stuffing combinations, you can create a dish that will impress your family and friends. Whether you prefer a classic stuffing or a more adventurous combination, the possibilities are endless. So, gather your ingredients, preheat your oven, and embark on a culinary journey that will leave you with a satisfying and delectable meal.
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