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MARINATED CORNISH
HENS WITH B&R FARMS DRIED APRICOT STUFFING
For the marinade:
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger or ½ tsp each ground ginger and
finely grated lemon or orange rind
2 Rock Cornish hens (about 1 ½ pound each)
For the stuffing:
3 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium-size stalk celery, finely chopped
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen green peas, thawed and drained
4 cups cooked quick-cooking or long-grain white rice
½ cup Basic Chicken Stock or canned chicken broth
4 oz. B&R Farms Dried Apricots, chopped (1 cup)
½ cup toasted slivered almonds
1/4 tsp each dried thyme and sage, crumbled
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
For the glaze:
½ cup B&R Farms Dried Apricot Preserves
- For the marinade:
In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, wine, oil, vinegar, mustard,
honey, garlic, and ginger. Place a large plastic bag inside another
(to double the thickness), add the hens and the marinade, and seal.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Drain the hens, reserving the
marinade, and pat dry with paper toweling. Preheat oven to 400 F.
- For the stuffing:
Melt the butter in a 12 inch skillet over moderate heat. Add the onion
and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft - 5 min. Remove
from the heat and stir in the peas, rice, stock, B&R Farms Dried
Apricots, almonds, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper; mix well. Fill each
hen loosely with stuffing and tie the legs together. Place the remaining
stuffing in a greased 1 ½ quart casserole and cover with foil;
set aside.
- For the glaze:
In a small saucepan over moderate heat, combine the reserved marinade
and the B&R Farms Dried Apricot Preserves. Bring to a boil, stirring
constantly, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring
occasionally, until thickened - about 5 min.
- Arrange the hens,
breast side up, in a medium-size baking pan and spoon the glaze over
them. Roast, uncovered, basting occasionally, for 1 hour or unit the
legs move easily in the hip sockets. Bake the covered casserole of stuffing
in the oven along with the hens for the last 40 min.
- Remove the strings
and split each hen in half. Serve with the extra stuffing.
Serves 4.
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