CORNISH HENS WITH ORANGE-GINGER SAUCE

Cornish Hens With Orange-Ginger Sauce image

Number Of Ingredients 15

8 Cornish hens 1-pound thawed (if birds are slightly larger, use 4 and cut in half)*
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup water
Orange-Ginger Sauce:
1/2 cup orange rind shredded
3 tablespoons lemon peels grated
1 1/2 cups orange juice concentrate
4 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
2 cups red currant jelly
1 cup madeira wine (dry)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ginger ground (use 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash hot sauce

Steps:

Heat oven to 450°. Sprinkle cavity and outside of each hen with salt and pepper. Tie legs together and arrange breast side up in buttered, shallow roasting pan. Brush with butter or margarine. Roast uncovered for 15 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 375°. Turn birds breast side down and add 1/2 cup water and cover with foil loosely. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn breast side up and baste with drippings in pan. Continue basting from time to time and roast for another 15 minutes.To make sauce, combine orange and lemon peels and orange and lemon juices in small saucepan. Bring to boil and cook over medium heat, uncovered, 15 minutes or until peel is tender. Add jelly, wine, mustard, ginger, salt and pepper sauce. Bring to boil, stirring reduce heat and continue cooking at a simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes to reduce and thicken sauce. It should be like heavy cream.To serve, arrange whole birds on platter and remove string from legs. Spoon sauce over them and serve. Any sauce remaining can be served separately.* If 4 birds are used, split and cook them cut side down in roaster. Baste the last 15 minutes of cooking period. The halves should not take more than 45 minutes total cooking time. Test to be sure.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves