As with all raw poultry, be sure to wash your hands, plus all used utensils and work surfaces very well with antibacterial soap before touching or using the utensils/work surface on anything else. Don't forget about the kitchen faucet handle and top of the soap container too! **
Cranberry Orange Glazed Cornish Hens
GLAZE:
1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce………………......1/2 cup orange marmalade
(homemade or store-bought cranberry sauce, whole or smooth)
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Orange juice…………………..........1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Kosher salt …………………….......….1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp ground ginger………………......…..1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
***
3-4 Cornish hens (make sure you take out any bags of necks, giblets, etc)
8 TB (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. pepper…………………............…..1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced (easiest to do this with a kitchen scissors)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves…......…………1/2 tsp. fresh orange zest or 1/4 tsp. dried orange rind
Optional: orange slices and/or rosemary sprigs (to stick inside each hen)
Oranges, cranberries & sprigs of fresh rosemary (garnish)
***
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a roasting pan with foil and coat with buttery non-stick baking spray. I like to put a rack in there too, so the hens are up off the bottom of the pan. I think it makes the skin crispier on all sides. **
In a blender or a food processor, quick-pulse together the glaze ingredients just until thick consistency (and not too lumpy). (Or, just mix it all together with a fork) Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the butter with salt, pepper, rosemary, dried thyme and orange zest; set aside.
Pat dry hens and put in the pan. Rub herb butter under the skin of the hens and then all over them on top of the skin. I find it's easiest to stick a pat of the herb butter under the front part of the skin and then massage it back under the rest of the skin. (If you want, you can stick an orange slice and/or rosemary sprig inside each hen.) Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, right-side up. * After 20 minutes, remove from oven and LOWER the TEMPERATURE to 350.
Flip hens over and brush liberally with glaze (so they're upside-down). Bake for 20 minutes, and then glaze again. Bake another 20 minutes, and liberally glaze again. Flip them back over and glaze the top side liberally with glaze. Bake for 10 minutes and glaze liberally again. (If your glaze starts getting low, just add a little more orange juice and/or cranberry sauce) Bake another 10-15 minutes and glaze again. They should be nice and brown. If you think they need another 10 minutes, glaze again and let them go for 10 more minutes, glazing again when they're done.
Take them out and let them rest for a couple of minutes before serving, garnished with sliced oranges, sugared cranberries (recipe can be found by search above) & sprigs of fresh rosemary on the platter.
My husband will eat 1 whole hen, but I cut 1 in half for me ~ so serving size will vary between 1/2 to 1 hen per person (depending on appetite)