Cornish Hens
I know it’s been a long long time since I’ve posted. These are hectic times for everyone. I spent a week in Colorado visiting my daughter and grandson. Missed the big snow storm by 2 days!! I made Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Day Dinner. For Christmas Eve we had cornish hens with a currant sauce. They were terrific. They are really easy to make and make a great presentation. This is what you will need:
For 4 servings:
2 Rock Cornish Hens (they are usually frozen)
salt and pepper
3 slices of bacon (you will use 3 half slices on each hen)
FOR THE CURRANT SAUCE:
1/2 cup cognac
1/2 cup cream or light evaporated milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 cup dried currants
1/2 cup port
dash cayenne
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to moderate (350 degrees). Sprinkle the hens with salt and pepper (inside the cavity also). Cover each hen with 3 half slices of bacon. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes, basting several times with the juices in the pan.
Remove from oven, cut in half, cover with foil while you make the sauce.
Put the roasting pan over direct heat. Add to the liquid in the pan: 1/2 cup cognac and cook until cognac is reduced by half. CAREFUL here. You might want to turn the heat off first. The cognac will ignite and burn until the alcohol is burned off. DON’T PANIC...just keep stirring the sauce until the flames subside.
ADD 1/2 cup cream and boil until sauce is reduced to a creamy consistency.
In a small saucepan heat: 1 tablespoon butter. ADD 2 scallions, finely chopped and saute for 2 minutes. ADD the currants and 1/2 cup port or sherry. Heat and ignite wine. Stir until flame burns out.
Strain the cream gravy from roasting pan into the wine and currant sauce, season with salt, a dash of cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Pour over the hens.
I served it with steamed rice and asparagus.
Cornish Hens
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
