Garlic & Rosemary Butter Roasted Cornish Hen
Serves: 2
Prep Time: inutes
Cook Time: inutes
Total Time: inutes
Wow the guests at your next special occasion or holiday gathering with these lovely Cornish hens. Each person gets their own little stuffed bird, which makes for a truly impressive presentation. The bread-less stuffing is a real keeper (great for gluten-free friends and family), enhanced with plenty of fresh herbs and dried fruit. And, because Bell & Evans Cornish Hens are smaller than chickens, they roast in a fraction of the time!
Ingredients
For Stuffing
- 2 TB Unsalted butter
- 1 small Leek, washed and sliced, white and light green parts only
- 1 stalk Celery, chopped
- 2 tsp Chopped fresh sage
- 1 tsp Chopped fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 cups Cooked wild rice
- 1/2 cup Dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup Dried apricots, chopped
- 2 Bell & Evans Cornish Hens
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 TB Rosemary, minced
- 2 cloves Garlic, fi nely grated
- 1 Lemon, zested
- 2 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Preparation
For Stuffing
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, sage and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rice, cranberries and apricots. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
For Hens
- Combine the butter, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub butter mixture over both hens and under the skin.
- Stuff the cavity of each hen with 1/2 cup of stuffi ng. Set any remaining stuffi ng aside for serving. Tie each of the hen’s legs together and tuck wing tips underneath the bodies.
- Preheat oven to 425°F and adjust the oven rack to a lower position. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with a wire rack. Place both the hens, breast-side-down, on a prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Reduce oven to 375°F. Continue to roast until golden-brown, and internal temperature reaches 165°F, as measured by a meat thermometer, about 40-50 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving with the remaining stuffi ng.
