4 Cornish game hens (14 to 16 oz each)
stuffing:
½ lb good quality Pork Sausage, removed from casings
olive oil
½ tsp dry rubbed sage
4 green onions, finely chopped
½ c almonds (or pecans), toasted and lightly chopped
1/3 lb Gruyere cheese (or Parmesan), grated
¼ c dried cranberries (optional)
¾ c dry fine bread crumbs
glaze:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp cider vinegar (or raspberry flavoured vinegar if you have it)
2 Tbsp seedless raspberry jam
Preparation
- Saute sausage in oil until just done (6-8 minutes). Add green onions and sage and cook one more minute. Drain oil and transfer sausage mixture to a large bowl. Add nuts, cheese, optional cranberries, bread crumbs. Chill thoroughly.
- Clean and dry game hens well. Stuff birds with cold dressing.
- In a small bowl combine oil, vinegar and jam to form a glaze. Cover hens thoroughly with glaze. Reserve remaining glaze.
- Roast birds at 350F (½ hour per lb.) Baste several times with reserved glaze. When they're done, they are a brilliant mahogany colour.
adapted from a recipe in Barbecuing, Grilling and Smoking published by the California Culinary Academy 1988
Serving suggestion: Green beans, new lightly buttered potatoes with chopped parsley and chives, many different fresh herbs and red wine go well with the gamehens. These kind of garnishes not only look gorgeous but they taste wonderful as well. (Please hit the small photo to see an enlargement.)
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