Subject: COLLECTION (4) Easy Cornish Hens
From: Janie McKinney <[email-masked]>
Date: 27 Oct 1997 19:42:08 -0700
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes

CORNISH HENS STEAMED IN FOIL
APRICOT-GLAZED CORNISH HENS STUFFED WITH WILD RICE
LEMON BUTTER CORNISH HENS
CORNISH HENS WITH CREAMY RICE STUFFING

>[email-masked] (NV)
>I will be getting a bunch of (frozen) Cornish Hens soon. Any simple
>recipe ideas? Thank You

Here are some *easy* Cornish hen recipes for you!

CORNISH HENS STEAMED IN FOIL

4 Cornish hens, thawed
For each Cornish hen:
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon sage or thyme (one or the other)
1 square of aluminum foil, 16 inches minimum
1 sprig parsley (or 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley)
1 to 2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Season each Cornish hen with salt, pepper,
and sage or thyme.  Place on foil, lay a sprig of parsley (or sprinkle dried
parsley) on top of hen, and wrap securely in foil.  Place hens on baking
sheet or in baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour.

Remove hens and raise heat to 425 degrees F.  Carefully open foil (be
careful not to get burned by the escaping steam) to expose hens.  Brush with
butter and return to oven to brown for 5 to 10 minutes.  Serve hens with
juices that accumulate in the foil. 

Makes 4 servings.

APRICOT-GLAZED CORNISH HENS STUFFED WITH WILD RICE

1 (6-ounce) package long grain and wild rice
2 teaspoons tarragon leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
6 Cornish game hens, thawed
1 (12-ounce) jar apricot preserves
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup orange liqueur, such as Triple-Sec or Grand Marnier
Parsley sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Prepare rice according to directions on the package.  Add tarragon and
season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Wash hens, inside and out, and pat dry with
paper towels.  Stuff hens loosely with cooked rice.  Fold wings back and tie
legs together.  Season outside with salt and pepper.  Place hens, breast
side up, in a large shallow baking pan.

In a small saucepan, combine apricot preserves, butter, and liqueur.  Heat,
stirring, until blended well.  Baste hens with apricot glaze.  Bake for 1
hour and 15 minutes, basting frequently with apricot glaze.  Remove to a
serving platter and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

LEMON BUTTER CORNISH HENS

4 Cornish game hens
1 cup vodka
8 thin slices lemon
8 thin slices butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons crushed tarragon
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1/2 cup sour cream

Coat hens with vodka, inside and out, and let stand for 15 minutes.
Carefully loosen skin over the breast with fingers, making a pocket.  Place
2 slices lemon and 2 slices butter in the skin pockets of each hen.  Season
inside and out with a mixture of salt, white pepper, and tarragon.  Place
hens in a baking pan.  

Mix together 1 1/2 sticks melted butter, 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon
rind, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice.  Baste the Cornish hens with this mixture.

Pour chicken broth into the bottom of the baking pan.  Bake at 450 degrees F
for 15 minutes.  Baste.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake for 30 to 45
minutes or until done.  (You'll know it's done if you can stab the fattest
part of the thigh and clear -- not pink-tinged -- juice runs out.)  Remove
Cornish hens from pan.  Boil the liquid in the pan until it is reduced to
1/2 its original volume.  Add whipping cream and sour cream to the reduced
pan liquid; simmer until thick.  

Makes 4 servings.

CORNISH HENS WITH CREAMY RICE STUFFING

4 Cornish game hens, thawed
1 (6-ounce) package long grain and wild rice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (10-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (5-ounce) can water chestnuts, chopped
1 (4-ounce) can button mushrooms

Rinse Cornish hens and pat dry with paper towels.  Reserve the giblets and
chop them. (Personally, I don't like the giblets....I leave them out.  JM) 

Prepare the long grain and wild rice according to package directions.
Combine rice, salt and pepper, mushroom soup, water chestnuts, and mushrooms
in a bowl and mix well.  Stir in the giblets (if you like them -- I don't).

Stuff body cavities of Cornish hens with rice mixture and tie their legs
together. Wrap hens in foil (at least 16 inches long per piece of foil).
Place in baking pan.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 1 hour; remove foil, taking
care to avoid getting burned by escaping steam.  Bake until brown.

Makes 4 servings.

submitted by Janie McKinney   

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