Best Braised Cornish Hen With Apricots And Dates Recipes

JOYCE GOLDSTEIN'S CORNISH HENS WITH APRICOTS, TOMATOES AND SPICES

Steps:

• Heat 6 tablespoons schmaltz or peanut oil in a large saucepan. Sprinkle the hens with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and brown. In another saucepan heat the remaining chicken fat or peanut oil, add the onions and cook over low heat 5 minutes, or until the onions are transparent. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons cinnamon and cloves and cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add about 1/2 cup reserved tomato liquid. Puree half the soaked apricots in a food processor or blender, and coarsely chop the rest. Add the pureed apricots, the diced tomatoes and 1 cup chicken stock to the onion mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Puree 2 cups of the onion mixture. Return to the pan, add the remaining apricots, brown sugar and chicken stock and add enough liquid to make a medium-thick sauce. In a large casserole place half the sauce. Add hens and cover with remaining sauce. Bake the poultry, covered, in a 350 degree preheated oven until done, about 30 to 40 minutes.

APRICOT-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until tender; remove from heat. Add the bread, mushrooms and seasonings. Toss with enough chicken broth just to moisten. , Stuff hens. Tie drumsticks together. Place on a rack in a large shallow baking pan. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. , Brush with preserves. Bake, uncovered, 30-45 minutes longer or until meat juices run clear, basting every 10-15 minutes. , If using green onions, first soften them in boiling water or the microwave for a few seconds, then tie over the string used to tie the drumsticks together. Garnish platter with rosemary if desired.

CORNISH HENS WITH APRICOTS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Melt six tablespoons of chicken fat or oil in a large pan or skillet. Sprinkle the hens with salt, pepper and one teaspoon of the cinnamon.
• In another large pan, add the remaining chicken fat or oil and the onions, and cook over low heat for five minutes or until the onions are transparent. Add the remaining three teaspoons of cinnamon and the cloves and cook for about three more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Coarsely chop half of the soaked apricots and set aside. Add about one-half cup of reserved tomato liquid to the remaining half of the soaked apricots and puree in a processor or blender. Take the pureed apricots, the chopped tomatoes, one cup of the chicken stock and add them to the onion mixture. Simmer, uncovered, for five minutes.
• Puree two cups of the onion mixture. Return to pan, add the chopped apricots, brown sugar and chicken stock and enough liquid to make a medium-thick sauce.
• In a casserole large enough to hold the meat in one layer, place half the sauce. Add the hens and cover with the remaining sauce. Bake, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until done .

APRICOT-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a cookie sheet generously with cooking spray.
• Combine apricot preserves, Sriracha, Worcestershire, and butter in a small pot and melt over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent from sticking.
• Clean hens and pat dry with paper towels. Coat outsides and insides with oil. Season with mango-habanero seasoning; insert sprigs of basil inside of the hens.
• Place hens on the prepared cookie sheet and cover with foil.
• Cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and baste with apricot glaze. Put back in the oven and cook until no longer pink in the centers, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).