Glazed Cornish Hens with Pecan-Rice Stuffing
Cornish hens bake up with a lovely golden brown shine when they are basted with my sweet and tangy glaze. The traditional rice stuffing has some added interest with crunchy pecans and sweet golden raisins.—Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario
Test Kitchen Tips
Ingredients
- 8 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each)
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- pecan rice:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1-1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
Directions
-
1Tuck wings under hens; tie drumsticks together. Rub skin with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place hens breast side up in a shallow roasting pan.
-
2Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour. Meanwhile, place apple juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat. Stir in honey and mustard. Set aside 1/2 cup for serving.
-
3Brush hens with apple mixture. Bake, basting occasionally with pan drippings, until a thermometer reads 180°, 25-35 minutes longer. Cover hens loosely with foil if they brown too quickly.
-
4For pecan rice, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice, cumin and curry; cook and stir until rice is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes. Stir in pecans, onions and raisins.
-
5Cover hens; let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with rice and reserved sauce.
This reviews section is powered by Viafoura, whose privacy policy governs its data practices.
