Cornish Game Hen with Double-Cranberry and Thyme Sauce
From hopscotch 15 years ago
- 30 minutes to make
- Serves 2
I had a few recipes that I am ambivalent in making for Christmas, and I decided to pamper my sister as she loves cranberries. I am going to implement some adaptations by those who have made this recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided shopping list
- 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar shopping list
- 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided shopping list
- 1 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-pound Cornish game hen, halved, backbone removed, rinsed, patted dry shopping list
- 1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour* shopping list
- 3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth shopping list
- 1/2 cup white grape juice* shopping list
- 1/3 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed shopping list
- 1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries shopping list
- Inputs: shopping list
- This dish is simply sublime. The sauce is out of this world. I read all the reviews and made the following adjustments, all of which worked very well: 1. cornstarch instead of flour for the sauce. 2. white wine instead of grape juice for the sauce. 3. Tripled, rather than quadruple, the sauce ingredients for 4 hens, and that was plenty. 4. Let the butter reach room temp before mixing the ingredients to spread on the hens. That made the process very easy. Be patient in reducing the sauce, it will get there. shopping list
- made these hens last night for valentine's day, and we were totally satisfied...I used white wine instead of grape juice as someone had suggested and a bit more of the flour/butter combo to thicken the sauce...it could not have been better! Served with potato gnocchis with three cheeses (goat, ricotta and grated romano mixed with about a teaspoon of thyme and lots of black pepper) and asparagus steamed with red onion and garlic, then topped with rice wine vinagrette, crumbled Roquefort cheese and diced fresh tomato -- beautiful and delicious!!! This recipe is a definite keeper. shopping list
How to make it
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Blend 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, and 2 teaspoons thyme in small bowl. Sprinkle hen halves with salt and pepper. Spread skin of each with half of butter mixture. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add hen halves, skin side down. Sear until deep brown, about 4 minutes. Turn, skin side up, and sear 1 minute. Remove from heat. Transfer hen halves, skin side up, to small rimmed baking sheet. Reserve skillet (mixture will be dark). Roast hen halves until cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with fork, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, blend remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon flour in small bowl. Add broth, grape juice, cranberry concentrate, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme to reserved skillet. Boil until sauce is reduced to 3/4 cup, whisking often, about 7 minutes. Whisk in flour mixture and cranberries. Simmer until sauce coats spoon, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hen halves to plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.
- INGREDIENT TIP:
- : Look for the Cornish game hen in the frozen foods section of the supermarket. Or for easier preparation, buy one from the butcher and have him halve it and remove the backbone.
- Bon Appétit | December 2007
- by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
- http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cornish-Game-Hen-with-Double-Cranberry-and-Thyme-Sauce-240680
People Who Like This Dish 3
- beverliann Nowhere, Us
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- hopscotch CA
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