Stuffed Cornish Game Hens
Stuffed, boned Cornish game slices are drizzled with rich pan sauce. The game hens are stuffed with a mixture of spinach and mushrooms, flavored with garlic and vermouth.
Ingredients
- Clarified Butter - 3 tablespoons
- Spinach - 1 cup1/2 pound, , stemmed, blanched, and drained
- Garlic Cloves - 2, minced
- Mushrooms - 1/2 pound, cleaned and sliced
- Dry Vermouth - 1/4 cup
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/4 cup
- Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup
- Cornish Game Hens - 4, cleaned and boned
- Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
- Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon
- Bacon - 4 slices
- Clarified Butter - 8 ounces
- Sauce
- Pan drippings from the birds (above)
- Dry white wine - 1/4 cup
- Shallots - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Garlic - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Green Onion - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Heavy (whipping) cream - 1/4 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 4 tablespoons
Instructions
To prepare the stuffing: Heat the butter in a saute pan and saute the spinach, garlic, mushrooms, and vermouth for 3 minutes. Add the cream and cook until the liquid has reduced by one-third. Stir in the bread crumbs and cook until the mixture is thick but still moist. Set aside.
To prepare the hens: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the boned hens flat and season with salt and lemon juice. Fill each with 1/2 cup of stuffing and fold together. Secure with a strip of bacon and toothpicks. Put into a baking pan with the clarified butter and roast or 45 minutes, until golden. Remove; keep warm.
To prepare the sauce: Place the roasting pan over medium heat and reduce the drippings for 5 minutes. Pour off any fat and add the wine. Cook again until reduced by one-third. Stir in the cream, shallots, garlic, and green onion. Off the heat, swirl in the butter.
To serve: Place the game hens on a cutting board. Take out the toothpicks and carve the birds diagonally into strips. Fan the slices on warmed serving plates and drizzle with sauce. Serve with potato balls (see separate recipe).
