This recipe is simple and makes a nice, moist rice-based stuffing. It takes less time to bake than a large bird and there is no carving. Just cut each hen in half and arrange over the mounded stuffing.
- Portion size 8 servings
- Credits : Canadian Living Magazine: April 2012
Ingredients
Stuffing:
Method
Stuffing: In saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat; cook leeks, celery and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.Add rice, stirring to coat. Add chicken broth, tarragon, lemon zest, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender and no liquid remains, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; refrigerate in airtight container for up to 24 hours, adding 10 minutes to cooking time for baking dish.)
In small bowl, stir butter with lemon zest; set aside.
Remove neck and any giblets from cavity of each Cornish hen. Fill each cavity with about 1/2 cup of the stuffing. Brush hens with butter mixture; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place remaining stuffing in greased 8-inch (2 L) square baking dish.
Place hens, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake in 400?F (200?C) oven for 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Add stuffing; bake, uncovering halfway through, until stuffing is hot and digital rapid-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of hen's thigh reads 185?F (85?C), about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting in half with chef's knife or poultry shears to serve.
Nutritional facts Per serving: about
- Fibre 1 g
- Sodium 505 mg
- Sugars 1 g
- Protein 40 g
- Calories 613.0
- Total fat 35 g
- Potassium 583 mg
- Cholesterol 225 mg
- Saturated fat 12 g
- Total carbohydrate 32 g
%RDI
- Iron 17.0
- Folate 9.0
- Calcium 5.0
- Vitamin A 10.0
- Vitamin C 7.0
