Roasted Game Hen with Goat Cheese and Spinach
Confit is an old-fashioned alternative to roasting goose or duck legs. Here the frugal chef makes good use of the legs and thighs of the game hen to prepare a delicious confit that adds flavor and texture to the filling. Although the procedure is simple, there is a long baking time, so begin early
Ingredients
- Goat Cheese Filling
- Olive Oil - 1 teaspoon
- Shallots - 1 tablespoon, peeled and minced
- Garlic Clove - 1, peeled and minced
- Spinach - 3 ounces, washed, cleaned, and dried
- Goat Cheese - 4 ounces
- Game Hen Confit - 4 ounces
- Game Hen Confit
- Legs and thighs from the game hens
- Garlic Clove - 1, peeled
- Fresh Thyme - 2 sprigs
- Cracked pepper to taste
- Duck Fat and/or Olive Oil - 3 cups (or enough to cover hen parts by 1⁄2 inch)
- Stewed Vidalia Onions
- Olive Oil - 3 tablespoons
- Vidalia Onions - 6 cups, thinly sliced
- Red Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- Sugar - 3 tablespoons
- Salt - 1⁄2 teaspoon
- Fresh Thyme - 1 teaspoon, chopped
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Apple Cider - 1⁄2 cup
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice - 2 tablespoons (about 1 small lemon)
- Granny Smith Apple - 1 tablespoon, peeled and finely diced
- Red Delicious Apple - 1 tablespoon, peeled and finely diced
- Red Onion - 1 tablespoon, peeled and minced
- Olive Oil - 6 tablespoons
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Apple Ginger Pecan Butter
- Granny Smith apples - 4 cups, peeled and diced
- Apple Cider - 1⁄2 cup
- Brown Sugar - 1⁄2 cup
- Fresh Ginger - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Ground cinnamon - 1⁄2 teaspoon
- Grated Nutmeg - 1⁄4 teaspoon
- Pecans - 1⁄4 cup, chopped
- Cherry Tomato Garnish
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Cherry Tomatoes - 1⁄2 cup (about 2-ounce weight) stemmed and halved
- Red Onion - 3 tablespoons, peeled and chopped
- Fresh Thyme - 1 teaspoon, chopped
- Fresh Basil Leaves - 2, thinly sliced
- Fresh Parsley - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Game Hens - 4 whole, breasts, legs, and thighs removed, breasts boned except for wing bone
- Chicken Stock - 1⁄2 cup (see Basics)
- Olive Oil - 1⁄4 cup
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette - 1⁄4 cup
- Cherry Tomato Garnish - 1⁄2 cup
Instructions
To make the goat cheese filling: In a large saute pan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the shallots and garlic about 1 minute, just until softened, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the spinach and cook about 1 minute, just until the spinach begins to wilt. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. When the spinach has cooled, fold in the goat cheese and game hen confit.
To make the game hen confit: Preheat the oven to 200 F. Season the legs and thighs with the garlic, thyme, and cracked pepper and place in a roasting pan with enough fat and or fresh oil to cover by 1⁄2 inch. Cover the pan and continue cooking until the meat is tender when pressed. The skin should be crisp and evenly colored, but the fat should not turn more than a deep yellow. Remove the hen pieces from the fat and drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and shred the meat. If desired, strain the cooking oil and reserve for another use.
To stew the Vidalia onions: In a large saute pan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir 1 minute. Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add the red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Increase the heat to high and boil about 5 minutes or until the liquids have evaporated and the onions are deep golden and caramelized. Season with chopped thyme and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat and keep at room temperature.
To make the apple cider vinaigrette: In a small mixing bowl combine the apple cider, lemon juice, apples, and onion. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the apple ginger pecan butter: In a medium saucepan combine the apples, cider, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse two or three times. The mixture should be slightly lumpy rather than smooth and puréed. Fold in the chopped pecans.
To make the cherry tomato garnish: In a small saute pan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and onion and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the fresh herbs.
To cook the hens: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Stuff the boned breasts by loosening them from their skin, but keeping attached to the wing as follows. Lay the game hen breasts skin side down on the work surface. Being careful to leave the skin whole, pull the breast meat from the skin and spoon a tablespoon of the stuffing on the skin. Bend the meat back down onto the stuffing, and fold the skin around to partially enclose it. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Place the breasts skin side up in a roasting pan. Add the chicken stock and brush with the olive oil. Roast in the oven about 10 minutes or until the juices just begin to run clear. Remove from the oven and reserve the cooking juices.
To serve: Place 2 tablespoons of the stewed onions on each of the four serving plates. Add 2 tablespoons of the apple butter on one side of the onions, and place a hen breast on top. Drizzle 1 tablespoon each of the roasting juices and apple cider vinaigrette over the game hens. Finish with 1 tablespoon of the seasoned cherry tomatoes.
