Monday, March 18, 2013

Cornish Game Hens

(I don't know what I would do without my Sur la Table baking mat, because I can't use foil in my Electrolux Oven ~ bummer)

Years ago I worked at Union Carbide with quite a good cook.  Eleanor was her name and wow, she could cook.  She told me of a recipe for Cornish Game Hens and for the life of me I can't find it or remember it.  I went to The Food Network today and found this recipe which is very tasty. I did cook mine on a raised rack though and they are delicious.  You could feed 6 people with these 3 birds, or 3 hungry men I suppose.

I made Uncle Ben's Long grained and Wild Rice, mustard greens and creamed corn I froze last year.


The Neelys
They also have a really cute video while you are there that shows them cooking them.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon-pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each, rinsed and dried thoroughly
1 green bell pepper, large dice
2 stalks celery, large dice
1 onion, large dice

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil and poultry seasoning. Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture. Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans. Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with some green bell pepper, celery and onion. Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

TIPS: Line the baking sheet pan with foil under the wire rack for an easy clean-up. The veggies and herbs stuffed in the cavities of the hens will impart flavor to the meat as it cooks. Be sure not to crowd the hens on the baking sheets or else the skin won't crisp up properly and they will take much longer to cook. 


Sharing with The Country Homemaker Hop #59 over at Heidi's My Simple Country Living