Cornish Hens with Apple Cider Glaze

These cornish hens are perfect for holiday dinner parties. They are stuffed with wild rice, cranberries, and apples, but the best part is that they are roasted with an apple cider glaze that everyone couldn't stop talking about.

Ingredients:

4 cornish hens

2 tbsp unsalted butter

salt and pepper

for the stuffing 

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1-1/2 cups cooked wild rice

1/2 cup peeled and diced apples

1/4 cup dried cranberries

3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper

for the glaze

1 cup apple cider (the juice not the vinegar)

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp Dijon mustard

pinch ground cinnamon

Directions:

To make the stuffing: Melt butter in a skillet and add the onions and celery. Cook until softened. Add the pecans, sage, thyme, and 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook until fragrant.

Deglaze the pan with a small splash of apple cider and scrape any brown bits from the bottom. 

Remove from heat and stir in the cooked rice, cranberries, apples, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Note: You can also make a stuffing with cooked white rice, cooked ground beef, toasted slivered almonds, and golden raisins, seasoned with just salt and pepper. 

To make the glaze: Combine apple cider and maple syrup in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a steady bubble. Simmer until mixture is syrupy and reduced to 1/3 cup, about 15 minutes. 

Whisk in dijon mustard and cinnamon. Set aside. 

Rinse hens and pat dry with paper towel. Season the cavities with salt and pepper. Spoon 1/2 cup of the stuffing into each cavity. Tuck the wings under and tie the legs with twine. Brush the tops and sides with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a roasting pan with foil. Place hens on a rack inside the pan if you have one. Roast for 20 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Continue roasting for an additional 50 minutes. During the last 30 minutes, brush the hens with the glaze every 10 minutes. Let the hens rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Hens at Thanksgiving 2021: Stuffing = cooked white rice, cooked ground beef, toasted slivered almonds, and golden raisins, seasoned with salt and pepper, SAME glaze!

Source: StripedSpatula