Cinnnamon Roasted Hens

1 x  Juice and pulp of 1 lime
3 ea Garlic cloves, mashed
1 ts Minced ginger root
2 ea Allspice berries, crushed
1/4 ts Saffron threads, crushed
1/2 ts Dried summer savory
1/2 ts Dried dill
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
1/4 ts Curry powder
  2 ea Cornish hens, halved


In a large baking dish, combine the lime juice and plup, garlic,
ginger, allspice, saffron, savory, dill, cinnamon and curry powder.
Add the hens to the dish and rub the well with the spice mixture.
Cover, refrigerate and let marinate overnight.
Set the hens, skin side up, on an oiled roasting rack.  Bake at
375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the skin is browned and
the meat is cooked through when tested with a fork. (Juices should
run clear.)


Baked Cornish Hens

4 cornish hens
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon rosemary
2 cloves pressed garlic

Rub hens with butter. Combine all ingredients and use to baste hens. Bake at
350 degrees for 1 hour, basting with lemon mixture every 10 minutes. If
serving with rice, spoon remaining lemon mixture over rice.


Cornish Hens with Pecan Rice Stuffing

2 cornish hens (20 oz each)
Livers from hens
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter/margarine
1/4 cup green chopped onion
1/4 cup yellow chopped onion
1 tablespoon raisin soaked in 1 tablespoon brandy
1 cup cooked rice
2 tablespoon minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme to taste
2 tablespoon milk
1/4 cup chopped pecans

SAUCE:
1 cup chicken stock/bouillon cube
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water/fruit juice

GARNISH:
Sauteed pineapple slices/peach/or apricot halves

Rinse hens and pat dry, inside and out. Cut off bony wing tip, tail and
excess neck skin and remove any excess fat from cavity. Save. Rinse off
livers, cut out any black spots and quarter them. Set aside.

Saute the onions in butter until soft, not brown. Add the livers and cook
until firm, but still pink inside. Add raisins and brandy and deglaze pan,
scraping up bits in pan.

Combine onions with rice, parsley, pecans, thyme, milk, salt and pepper to
taste. Cool before stuffing hens. If preparing stuffing ahead of time, hold
off stuffing birds until ready to roast as bacteria can start to grow. Stuff
hens and cover cavity opening with foil patch. Tie limbs to body with
kitchen string so they don't droop, dry out and fall off. Salt and pepper
outside if desired.

Place excess fat on top of birds for self-basting, or brush with melted
margarine. Place the bony scraps in a shallow baking pan just big enough to
hold the birds. Set hens on top of the scraps. If pan is too big and/or too
deep, the birds will dry out and won't brown nicely. Add 1/2 cup water.

Roast birds uncovered in the upper third of a preheated 400 degree oven
until golden brown and legs move easily in socket when wiggled. Check after
1st hour and add more water to pan if needed. Liquid should be about 1/2
inch deep at all times to guarantee a good sauce. Roast for about 1 1/2
hours or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced or legs wiggle freely
in their sockets.

Meanwhile, saute the fruit in 1 teaspoon of margarine until golden on both
sides and set aside to reheat later. When hens are done, remove strings and
foil and keep in warm place while making sauce. Degrease the cooking liquid,
tilt pan and spoon fat off. Add stock to the pan and heat, stirring with a
wooden spoon to dislodge brown bits. Add wine vinegar and dissolved
cornstarch and boil 1 minute to thicken, will turn translucent. Taste for
adequate seasoning, adding salt if flat or a little sugar if too tart.

NOTE: Chicken fryers are a better buy than cornish hens. Serve 1/2 fryer per
person, cutting whole fryers in half with large knife alongside the breast
and backbone just before serving.


Hens with Herb and Bacon Sauce

6 strips bacon coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (1.5 lb each) cornish hens
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry white wine/water
1/2 cup chopped tomato

In dutch oven or heavy roasting pan; cook bacon until crisp; remove with a
slotted spoon. Add oil, cornish hens over medium high heat, 10 minutes.
Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme and remaining seasonings over hens. Roast
at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until done. Transfer to serving plate, keep
warm. Skim fat from pan drippings. Add heavy cream, wine, tomato and
remaining 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to
medium, simmer, stirring 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in
bacon. Serve with hens.

NOTE: CAN USE ONE 3 LB CHICKEN FOR THE CORNISH HENS> ROAST ABOUT 1 HOUR.