CORNISH HENS WITH WALNUTS

Cornish Hens With Walnuts image

Provided by Pierre Franey

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

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Ingredients

4 Cornish game hens, about 1 pound each, with giblets
1/4 pound shelled walnut meats, about 1 1/4 cups
6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon Cognac
Salt to taste if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup corn, peanut or vegetable oil

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Using the fingers, separate the skin from the breast meat to make a cavity for stuffing.
Combine the walnuts, butter, mustard and Cognac in the container of a food processor or electric blender. Blend to make a paste. Fill the cavities with equal portions of the mixture. Tie up the birds or truss them neatly with string. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub them all over with oil.
Arrange the birds breast side up in a shallow, heatproof roasting pan and scatter the necks, gizzards and hearts around the birds. Set the livers aside. Place the pan on the stove and heat until the oil sizzles. Put the birds into the oven and bake, basting often, about 20 minutes.
Turn each hen on its side and continue baking, basting often, about 10 minutes. Turn each again and bake 5 minutes. Add the livers and cook 10 minutes longer. To test for doneness, lift one of the birds; the liquid from the inside should run clear.
Untruss the hens and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 880, UnsaturatedFat 43 grams, Carbohydrate 1 gram, Fat 72 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 54 grams, SaturatedFat 23 grams, Sodium 1222 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 1 gram