Recipe

Game Hens With Pomegranates Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Nikchick / All my dishes 2 years ago For my birthday my friends bought me a cooking class at Blue Ribbon Cooking School in Seattle. This is one of the recipes I got to make (and eat)! Prep:60m Cook:30m Servings:6	Nikchick
	gamehen poultry fancy

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Ingredients

Seeds from one large pomegranate

1 cup Marsala wine

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves

salt and black pepper

6 Cornish game hens

6 thin slices of pancetta

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 fresh sage leaves

2 oranges, peel cut into 1/4 inch slices

Directions

In a small bowl, just cover pomegranate seeds with the Marsala. You may have to use more Marsala. Gently mix and set aside, covered, for 1 hour.

Season the birds inside and out with the salt and pepper. Drain the pomegranate seeds and mint, reserving the liquid. Stuff the birds with the seed, reserving a few for later, and the mint. Using a needle, truss each bird tightly so that the inner cavity is closed and sealed shut by the two legs. Wrap each bird in a slice of pancetta, using your palms to press the pancetta tight against the bird.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In an oven-proof saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add 3 sage leaves and cook 1 minute before adding hens. Brown the birds on all sides over high heat until well browned, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and add the remaining sage leaves and the pomegranate seeds. Place the pan in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Drizzle the hens with 3 tablespoons of the remaining Marsala and pat with 2 tablespoons of the butter. Baste the hens with the pan juices and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.

In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Add the orange peel and saute gently for 5 minutes, stirring gently so that the peel absorbs the butter. Remove sauteed peels from the heat.

Remove hens from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle the hens with orange peel and drizzle with pan juices and any loose pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.

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Comments

suestonebender 1 year, 7 months ago said:
What a terrific birthday present, and what a delicious recipe! Can't wait to try this.

bradfordblanco 1 year, 7 months ago said:
Marsala, mint and pomegranate, sounds like marriage in heaven. This would be great with quail too, maybe. Some wild rice and pine nuts or walnuts.

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