Tasteful Recipe: Nectarine Glazed Game Hen with Wild Rice and Crimini Mushroom...

Tasteful Recipe: Nectarine Glazed Game Hen with Wild Rice and Crimini Mushroom Stuffing

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Cincy Chic teamed up with TASTE Magazine — your source for Food, Drink, Fashion and Style — to provide you with recipes, food/drink related editorial and their extensive restaurant guides. This recipe comes from a TASTE contributor, to (hopefully) a plate near you!

 

Nectarine Glazed Game Hen with Wild Rice and Crimini Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter, divided
1-2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Cup Onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Celery, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh sage leaves finely chopped plus sprigs for garnish
1/2 Cup Wild rice, cooked (for extra flavor replace water with white wine and chicken stock)
1 Cup Crimini mushrooms, chopped
1/3 Cup Pine nuts
1/2 Cup Nectarines, sliced
1/2 Cup Nectarine or Peach nectar
1 Teaspoon Orange or Lemon zest
1 Cup White wine
1 Teaspoon White balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Cornish hens, patted dry

Method

  • In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
  • Sautè the pine nuts till lightly browned.
  • Add the onions and celery and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the sage and mushrooms and cook for two minutes more.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the onion mixture with the rice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Make sure the hens are dry, season the cavities, and place 1/2 cup of the stuffing into the cavity of each hen.
  • Tie the legs of each bird together with kitchen twine.
  • Work fingers under the skin of the hen and place two pads of butter between the skin and the breasts.
  • In a medium skillet, over medium heat, reduce the nectar and wine to about 1/2 original volume.
  • Bring to a boil, add zest, nectarines, and remaining (cold) butter.
  • Whisk until butter is incorporated and sauce thickens.
  • Season with salt to taste.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Brush the birds all over with the liquid from the mixture and season with salt and pepper.
  • Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up.
  • Roast the hens, basting with remaining sauce every 20 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees, about 80 minutes total cooking time.
  • Set the birds aside at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.
  • Split hens in half through the breast with a sharp knife or poultry shears and keep the stuffing intact.
  • Arrange birds skin-side up, on a platter, garnish with sprigs of sage and serve with remaining sauce.

 

PHOTO CREDITS:
Photo: Courtesy of YumSugar

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