Stuffed Games Hens w/Rosemary Foccacia Dressing

By cook_kjacook_kja

Ingredients

• 1 Large shallot, chopped
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
• 2 Stalks celery, chopped
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3-4 leaves fresh sage, finely chopped
• 1/3 C dried cranberries
• 14.5 Oz can low sodium chicken broth
• 4 C cubed stale rosemary foccacia
• 2 Large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 C lightly toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 Cornish game hens (each about 1.25 Lbs.), rinsed and patted dry
• cheesecloth
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2 C dry red wine

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

To toast pistachios: toast the nuts in one layer in a baking pan in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they are colored lightly. Remove, let cool and then roughly chop.

In a large heavy skillet, cook the shallot, onion, celery, and garlic in butter over moderate heat; stir until the vegetables are golden. Stir in sage, salt, pepper to taste, and cook the mixture, stirring for 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and add to the prepared bread cubes. Add eggs, cranberries, pistachios, and chicken broth. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture cool before stuffing the hens.

Divide the stuffing among the cavities of the hens, packing the cavities loosely. Truss the hens, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and arrange them so that they do not touch on the rack of a large roasting pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the wine to the butter and mix.

Cut the cheesecloth into pieces so that you have 6 that will cover each bird. Dunk the pieces into the butter/wine mixture, then drape over the bird, repeat until all 6 are covered with the cheesecloth. This bastes the birds and gives them a beautiful mahogany color. Roast the birds in the upper third of oven for 1 hour.