Fresh homemade curry powder, garlic, lemon, and Dijon mustard enhance this glazed Cornish game hens recipe. Cornish game hens usually found frozen. It is important to let them thaw slowly overnight in the refrigerator.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Fresh Curry Powder:
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3 cardamom pods, seeds only
- Ground ginger to taste
- Cinnamon to taste
- Cumin seed to taste
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red chiles, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- .
- Main Dish:
- 2 Rock Cornish game hens (1 pound each)
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard (Dijon or spicy)
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve other half)
Preparation:
To make the curry powder, grind the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, red chiles, and turmeric together until they resemble a coarse powder, either with a mortar and pestle or in a clean electric coffee grinder.
If the Cornish game hens are frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Rinse hens with cold water; pat dry.
In small bowl, combine curry powder with syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut reserved lemon half in half again; place inside hens. If desired, truss (tie or skewer) hens, to secure legs. Line a shallow roasting pan with foil, dull side facing up, for easy cleanup. Place hens in pan and brush with some of the glaze. Reserve remainder of glaze for frequent basting.
Bake in oven 1 hour or longer, until juices run clear (meat should still be juicy). Baste often for crispy, golden skin. Halfway through baking, cover legs and wing tips with foil to prevent scorching.
Serve with rice and stir-fried vegetables.
Yield: 2 servings
Recipe Source: Nancy Enright's Canadian Herb Cookbook by Nancy Enright (James Lorimer and Company)
Reprinted with permission.
If the Cornish game hens are frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator. Rinse hens with cold water; pat dry.
In small bowl, combine curry powder with syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut reserved lemon half in half again; place inside hens. If desired, truss (tie or skewer) hens, to secure legs. Line a shallow roasting pan with foil, dull side facing up, for easy cleanup. Place hens in pan and brush with some of the glaze. Reserve remainder of glaze for frequent basting.
Bake in oven 1 hour or longer, until juices run clear (meat should still be juicy). Baste often for crispy, golden skin. Halfway through baking, cover legs and wing tips with foil to prevent scorching.
Serve with rice and stir-fried vegetables.
Yield: 2 servings
Recipe Source: Nancy Enright's Canadian Herb Cookbook by Nancy Enright (James Lorimer and Company)
Reprinted with permission.
