Newlyweds' Cornish Game Hen
When Wayne and I were first married we did our grocery shopping at Safeway in Colonial Heights, Va. Wayne quickly found Cornish game hens...something new for both of us...but then, cheaper than chicken. So we bought them. In looking for recipes I used a wonderful cookbook collection given to us by Wayne's mom...different colored checked covers, one for salads, main dish desserts, etc. (sadly they are gone...I'm a messy cook and pages started sticking together because of my messiness!) But in the main dish cookbook I found a recipe for Cornish hens that became a favorite for us. So when I found myself with a defrosted Cornish hen, I thought of this special dish and recreated it tonight. It's really succulent and, if you like the great flavor sherry and rosemary bring to a dish, you will love it. Back in the day, I served it with Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice and asparagus. Tonight, a Caesar salad was enough!
Ingredients:
Cornish Game Hen backbone removed and halved
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. fresh rosemary removed from stem
salt
pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
- salt and peeper game hen halves on all sides
- heat frying pan to medium
- add olive oil to preheated frying pan, add and melt butter
- add rosemary and let combine with butter and olive oil for 5 minutes
- add game hen halves, skin side down, and braise until skin is crisp; turn and cook for another ten minutes; turn and cook for another ten minutes; turn and cook for another 10 minutes (total about 35 minutes)
- there should be a deposit of hen drippings and rosemary in the bottom of the pan by now
- Remove halves and deglaze with the sherry
- Serve halves with the sherry gravy
