Cornish Hen with Tart Cherry Sauce
This was an idea I had for a long time but never got around to doing it and it came out fantastic couldn't have hoped for better. My wife and I loved it. The tart cherries complement the flavorful rub on the hen perfectly. For golden brown crispy skin increase temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for last 10 minutes of cooking.
Ingredients
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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Combine sea salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and paprika in a bowl. Place hens on a baking sheet and evenly brush with 5 tablespoons butter. Rub hens with spice mixture.
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Bake hens in preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour with white wine. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
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Mix cherries, red wine, orange juice, and brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the sauce; whisk until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle cherry sauce over cooked hens.
Cook's Note:
If hens don't yield enough juice as mine did initially, a combination of about 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup white wine can be used to add basting fluid.
