Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Wildflower Honey & Orange

Cornish game hens work well for entertaining. They’re a nice departure from chicken, and they don’t require any last-minute carving. Marinating in honey and basting with butter adds flavor and encourages the skin to brown, but sometimes they also need a flash under the broiler to finish.

• 3 Cornish game hens (1-1/2 to 2 lb. each)
• 6 Tbs. plus 1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
• 1-1/2 Tbs. honey (I prefer wildflower honey)
• 1-1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh, each torn into about 4 pieces
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 medium orange
• 1 small yellow onion, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 Tbs. kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, for basting, plus 1 Tbs. butter, not melted, for the sauce
• 1 cup low-salt chicken broth

Discard the giblets from the hens or reserve for another use. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbones and remove them. Then cut each hen in half along the breastbone. Trim off the wing tips and put the hens in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the 6 Tbs. wine, honey, thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes, and stir to dissolve the honey (it’s all right if it doesn’t dissolve completely).

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the orange in large strips, letting the strips drop into the bowl with the hens. Add the honey mixture and the sliced onion to the bowl. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, tossing the hens occasionally.

About half an hour before cooking, remove the hen halves from the marinade and gently pat them dry, trying not to disturb the thyme clinging to them. Arrange the hens on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Discard the remaining marinade.) Position a rack in the top third of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

When ready to roast, season the hen halves on both sides with the salt and several grinds of pepper. Turn them skin side up. Roast the hens, basting occasionally with the melted butter and rotating the pan for even browning as needed, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of a thigh registers 175° to 180°F (be careful not to hit the bone), about 30 minutes.

If the skin is somewhat pale, baste the hens, turn the broiler to high, and broil, rotating the pan frequently, until the hens are nicely golden, about 2 minutes. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.) Transfer the hens to a serving platter and tent with aluminum foil.

While the rimmed baking sheet is still hot, add the remaining 1/3 cup wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the wine and juices into a small saucepan and add the chicken broth. Boil the sauce over high heat until it thickens ever so slightly, 2 to 3 minutes; it should be more like a jus than a thick sauce. Off the heat, whisk in the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Keep warm.

To serve, pour a small amount of the sauce on and around the hens and pass the remainder at the table.

Grilled Herbed Cornish Hens

• 4 to 6 Cornish hens (3/4-to 1-1/4 lb. each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, flattened
• 2 generous Tbs. minced fresh thyme
• 1 generous Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Heat a gas grill to high. Using sharp kitchen scissors or poultry shears, remove the backbone of each hen by cutting on either side of it through the ribs. Turn the hens skin side up on the cutting board and press on the breastbone to flatten. Rinse each hen and pat dry. Spread the hens out flat on a large shallow baking sheet and sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper. Bend the wingtips under the breasts to protect them from burning.

Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a small bowl and add the garlic, a generous amount of pepper, and all but 1 tsp. each of the thyme and rosemary. Brush the hens liberally on both sides with the seasoned oil then add more pepper. Grill the hens skin side down, uncovered, until the skin develops nice grill marks (rotate the birds a quarter turn after first 3 minutes to create a crosshatch pattern). Turn the hens and sear them on the second side, again uncovered, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the skin side with the reserved herbs and salt, close the lid, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the hens are tender throughout and the skin is crisp and very golden; an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should read 180°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Put the hens on a large serving platter. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the lemon juice. Serve the hens drizzled with the lemon oil.

Cornish Game Hens Stuffed with Wild Rice & Leeks

Some wild rice won’t soak up all the cooking liquid even when it’s fully cooked. If this is the case, just pour off the extra liquid and proceed with the recipe.

• 5 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 large or 3 medium leeks, the white and 1 inch of the light green portion cut into 1/2-inch dice, washed, and drained (to yield 2 cups)
• 3/4 cup raw wild rice, rinsed and drained
• 1-1/2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. salt; more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. assorted wild mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
• 6 Cornish game hens (about 1-1/2 lb. each), neck and giblets removed and discarded or saved for stock, hens rinsed and patted dry

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the leeks and cook until soft, 10 to 12 min. Add the wild rice, chicken broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently without stirring until the rice is just tender, 40 to 45 min. If the rice is done and liquid remains, pour off the extra. Set aside. Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, parsley, thyme, and sage to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and have released their liquid, 3 to 5 min. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are dry, 3 to 5 min. Stir the mushrooms into the rice and set aside to cool; you should have about 2 cups of stuffing.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Season the cavity of each hen with salt and pepper. Make sure the stuffing is thoroughly cool and pack the cavity of each hen loosely with about 2/3 cup stuffing. With kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Tuck the wings underneath. Arrange the birds breast side up on a wire rack set in a shallow roasting pan (or two). Melt the remaining 2 Tbs. butter and use half to brush over the hens. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 min. Brush with the remaining melted butter. Continue to roast until the juices run clear when you prick the thickest part of the thigh and an instant- read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170°F, another 25 to 30 min. Transfer the hens to a platter, tent with foil, and let stand for 10 min. before serving.

Grilled Herbed Cornish Hens

• 4 to 6 Cornish hens (3/4-to 1-1/4 lb. each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, flattened
• 2 generous Tbs. minced fresh thyme
• 1 generous Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Heat a gas grill to high. Using sharp kitchen scissors or poultry shears, remove the backbone of each hen by cutting on either side of it through the ribs. Turn the hens skin side up on the cutting board and press on the breastbone to flatten. Rinse each hen and pat dry. Spread the hens out flat on a large shallow baking sheet and sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper. Bend the wingtips under the breasts to protect them from burning.

Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a small bowl and add the garlic, a generous amount of pepper, and all but 1 tsp. each of the thyme and rosemary. Brush the hens liberally on both sides with the seasoned oil then add more pepper. Grill the hens skin side down, uncovered, until the skin develops nice grill marks (rotate the birds a quarter turn after first 3 minutes to create a crosshatch pattern). Turn the hens and sear them on the second side, again uncovered, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the skin side with the reserved herbs and salt, close the lid, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the hens are tender throughout and the skin is crisp and very golden; an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should read 180°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Put the hens on a large serving platter. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the lemon juice. Serve the hens drizzled with the lemon oil.

Greek-Style Roasted Game Hens with Pine Nut Pilaf Stuffing

Joyce Goldstein likes to use this rice stuffing studded with pine nuts when roasting chickens or poussins as well as the game hens she suggests here. (Editors’ note: The pilaf is highly seasoned because it’s being used as a stuffing. If you’re serving it alone, you can decrease the amount of allspice to 1/2 tsp.) 

For the stuffing:

• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
• 1/2 cup raw long-grain rice, preferably basmati
• 2-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 Tbs. dried currants, plumped in hot water
• 3/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2-1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the game hens:

• 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 4 Rock Cornish game hens (about 1-1/2 lb. each), rinsed and patted dry

Make the stuffing

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the salt and stir in the rice. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the rice to a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the currants (drained) and allspice and cook a few minutes more. Stir the onion mixture, pine nuts, and lemon zest into the cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Cook the hens:

Heat the oven to 400°F. Make a basting sauce by melting the butter and stirring in the allspice, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Spoon the cooled stuffing into the cavity of the hens. Set the hens on one large or two small racks in a large shallow roasting pan or large rimmed baking sheet. Spoon or brush half of the lemon butter over the birds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast, basting occasionally with the butter, until the juices run clear when the leg is pierced with a skewer, 60 to 70 minutes. The internal temperature of the stuffing should be 160°F. Remove the birds and racks from the pan. Spoon off and discard the fat; pour any juices into a separate container. If there are nicely browned juices in the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a little broth or water and add to the other juices. Serve one bird per person with some of the pan juices, if you like.

Greek-Style Roasted Game Hens with Pine Nut Pilaf Stuffing

Joyce Goldstein likes to use this rice stuffing studded with pine nuts when roasting chickens or poussins as well as the game hens she suggests here. (Editors’ note: The pilaf is highly seasoned because it’s being used as a stuffing. If you’re serving it alone, you can decrease the amount of allspice to 1/2 tsp.) 

For the stuffing:

• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
• 1/2 cup raw long-grain rice, preferably basmati
• 2-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 Tbs. dried currants, plumped in hot water
• 3/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2-1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the game hens:

• 6 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 4 Rock Cornish game hens (about 1-1/2 lb. each), rinsed and patted dry

Make the stuffing

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add the salt and stir in the rice. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the rice to a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the currants (drained) and allspice and cook a few minutes more. Stir the onion mixture, pine nuts, and lemon zest into the cooked rice. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Cook the hens:

Heat the oven to 400°F. Make a basting sauce by melting the butter and stirring in the allspice, garlic, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Spoon the cooled stuffing into the cavity of the hens. Set the hens on one large or two small racks in a large shallow roasting pan or large rimmed baking sheet. Spoon or brush half of the lemon butter over the birds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast, basting occasionally with the butter, until the juices run clear when the leg is pierced with a skewer, 60 to 70 minutes. The internal temperature of the stuffing should be 160°F. Remove the birds and racks from the pan. Spoon off and discard the fat; pour any juices into a separate container. If there are nicely browned juices in the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a little broth or water and add to the other juices. Serve one bird per person with some of the pan juices, if you like.

Truffled Game Hens with Prosciutto

• 2 Cornish game hens (about 1-1/2 lb. each), neck and giblets removed and discarded or saved for stock, hens rinsed and patted dry
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/4 lb. fresh wild mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 thin slice prosciutto (about 2/3 oz.) cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 Tbs. white truffle oil

Season the cavity of each hen with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tsp. of the butter. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and the juices have evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Stir in the prosciutto and truffle oil.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Insert your fingertips at the wing end of the breast and gently loosen the skin over the breast and around the legs, being careful not to tear the skin. Divide the stuffing into two equal portions of about 2 Tbs. each. Place one portion of the stuffing under the skin and with your fingers, distribute it evenly over the breast and thigh. With kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Tuck the wings underneath. Repeat with the other hen.

Arrange the birds breast side up on a wire rack set  in a shallow roasting pan. Melt the remaining 2 tsp. butter and use half to brush over the hens. Season each hen with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes and brush with the remaining melted butter. Roast until the juices run clear when you prick the thickest part of the thigh and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170°F, another 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the hens to a platter, tent with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry-Port Sauce

This is a great dish for company because much of the work, from preparing the hens to making the broth for the sauce, can be done a day ahead.

For the hens

• 4 Cornish game hens (1½ to 2 lb. each)
• 4 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage (stems reserved for the broth)
• 4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (stems reserved for the broth)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter

For the broth

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
• 1/3 cup chopped shallot

For the sauce

• 1/3 cup ruby port
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. minced shallot
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the hens

Using poultry shears, remove the backbones from the hens by cutting along both sides. Set each hen breast side up on a cutting board and flatten by pressing down on the breastbone with your palms. With a chef’s knife, split each hen in two along the breastbone. Extend the wings on each side and chop off the last two joints. Discard any large deposits of fat. Chop or break each backbone into 2 pieces and set aside with the wing tips.

In a small bowl, combine the sage and thyme with 1 Tbs. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Pat the hens dry and rub the herb mixture on both sides of each hen. Arrange the hens skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet so they aren’t touching and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours or overnight.

Make the broth and start the sauce

Pat the reserved wings and back bones dry. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Add the wings and back bones and cook, stirring a few times, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth, chopped shallot, and reserved sage and thyme stems. Simmer gently, adjusting the heat as needed, for 30 minutes. Strain, discarding the solids. Cool the broth and refrigerate overnight.

Combine the port and cranberries for the sauce in a small bowl, cover, and let sit overnight.

Roast the hens

An hour before roasting, remove the hens from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Melt the 1 Tbs. butter and brush it lightly over the hens. Roast, rotating the pan about halfway though, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 175°F to 180°F, about 30 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving.

Make the sauce

While the hens roast, skim the fat from the broth and heat the broth in a small saucepan. Heat the 1 Tbs. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, whisking gently, until it forms a thick paste, about 30 seconds. Strain the port through a fine sieve into the saucepan, reserving the cranberries (don’t press down on the berries). Whisk for about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the broth until the sauce is smooth, adjusting the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced by about one-third, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the reserved cranberries. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Just before serving, pour any accumulated juices from the hens into the sauce. Serve the hens drizzled with the sauce.

Grilled Herbed Cornish Hens

• 4 to 6 Cornish hens (3/4-to 1-1/4 lb. each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, flattened
• 2 generous Tbs. minced fresh thyme
• 1 generous Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Heat a gas grill to high. Using sharp kitchen scissors or poultry shears, remove the backbone of each hen by cutting on either side of it through the ribs. Turn the hens skin side up on the cutting board and press on the breastbone to flatten. Rinse each hen and pat dry. Spread the hens out flat on a large shallow baking sheet and sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper. Bend the wingtips under the breasts to protect them from burning.

Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a small bowl and add the garlic, a generous amount of pepper, and all but 1 tsp. each of the thyme and rosemary. Brush the hens liberally on both sides with the seasoned oil then add more pepper. Grill the hens skin side down, uncovered, until the skin develops nice grill marks (rotate the birds a quarter turn after first 3 minutes to create a crosshatch pattern). Turn the hens and sear them on the second side, again uncovered, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the skin side with the reserved herbs and salt, close the lid, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the hens are tender throughout and the skin is crisp and very golden; an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should read 180°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Put the hens on a large serving platter. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the lemon juice. Serve the hens drizzled with the lemon oil.

Cornish Game Hens Stuffed with Wild Rice & Leeks

Some wild rice won’t soak up all the cooking liquid even when it’s fully cooked. If this is the case, just pour off the extra liquid and proceed with the recipe.

• 5 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 large or 3 medium leeks, the white and 1 inch of the light green portion cut into 1/2-inch dice, washed, and drained (to yield 2 cups)
• 3/4 cup raw wild rice, rinsed and drained
• 1-1/2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. salt; more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. assorted wild mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
• 6 Cornish game hens (about 1-1/2 lb. each), neck and giblets removed and discarded or saved for stock, hens rinsed and patted dry

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the leeks and cook until soft, 10 to 12 min. Add the wild rice, chicken broth, water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently without stirring until the rice is just tender, 40 to 45 min. If the rice is done and liquid remains, pour off the extra. Set aside. Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, parsley, thyme, and sage to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and have released their liquid, 3 to 5 min. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are dry, 3 to 5 min. Stir the mushrooms into the rice and set aside to cool; you should have about 2 cups of stuffing.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Season the cavity of each hen with salt and pepper. Make sure the stuffing is thoroughly cool and pack the cavity of each hen loosely with about 2/3 cup stuffing. With kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Tuck the wings underneath. Arrange the birds breast side up on a wire rack set in a shallow roasting pan (or two). Melt the remaining 2 Tbs. butter and use half to brush over the hens. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 min. Brush with the remaining melted butter. Continue to roast until the juices run clear when you prick the thickest part of the thigh and an instant- read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170°F, another 25 to 30 min. Transfer the hens to a platter, tent with foil, and let stand for 10 min. before serving.