Roasted Cornish Game Hens
with Cornbread, Sausage
and Dried Fruit Stuffing
Recipe from "Casual Vineyard Table"
By Carolyn Wente and Kimball Jones
Serves 6
Stuffing:
1 pound pork sausage, crumbled
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery (about 8 stalks)
6 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup dried cranberries
2 cups seasoned sour dough bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tsps fresh minced sage or 1 Tbsp dried sage
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken stock
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In saute pan, over medium heat, saute the sausage for 6-8 minutes, until light brown. Drain the rendered fat into a small bowl and set aside. Place the sausage in a large bowl. Melt the butter in the same saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions, celery, cornbread, apricots, cranberries, and bread crumbs to the sausage and mix well. Stir in the eggs, melted butter, sage and season with salt and pepper. If you think the stuffing needs more flavor, add some of the rendered fat.
Fold in enough chicken stock to moisten So not add too much or the stuffing will be soggy; stuffing should not stick together when you squeeze a handful.
Game Hens
3 cornish game hens
1 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Cut the game hens in half lengthwise. Rub them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, fill the bottom with stuffing and snuggly pack the game hens on top, cut side down. Roast for 20 minutes. Decrease the heat to 375 and continue to roast for another 25 minutes, or until the juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a knife.
To serve, place a spoonful of stuffing on each plate and top with a game hen. Serve immediately.
Wine Suggestions
White wine - a high quality Riesling will compliment the dried fruit.
Red Wine -
Pinot Noir is the perfect match.