Game Hens with Fresh Cranberry Pan Sauce

Festive Turkey Alternative for Smaller Celebrations

© Larry Ervin

Nov 8, 2009

Families often gather for major holidays for a celebratory meal. Turkeys are popular for large gatherings, especially for Thanksgiving in the U.S. According to tradition, it would have been wild turkeys that Native Americans would have contributed to the celebration with the Plymouth pilgrims. Those turkeys would have been much smaller than the 20 to 30-pound birds sold today.

If the size of your gathering is more modest, consider the smaller, but no less festive Cornish game hen. At an average of 1¼ pounds each, allow one hen per generous serving.

Turkey dinners are often heavied up with flour-thickened gravies. For the game hens in this recipe, cranberries add piquancy to a reduced wine pan sauce.

Roast Cornish Game Hens with Fresh Cranberry Pan Sauce

You will need: Flameproof baking dish large enough to hold all game hens without crowding.

Yield: 4 servings

Roast Game Hen Ingredients:

• 4 Cornish game hens with giblets
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• Sel de Mer (or other sea salt) and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered

Roast Game Hen Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Wipe the game hens dry. Place them in the flameproof baking dish. Rub them all over with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the hens on their sides and arrange so they are not crowding each other. Place the onion wedges around the hens. Arrange the gizzards and livers around the birds.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, basting often. Turn the hens on their other sides and bake for another 15 minutes, again basting often. Lastly, turn the hens so they are breast up and bake for 10 minutes longer, basting a few more times.
4. Carefully transfer the birds to a warm platter and tent with foil to keep warm while you make the pan sauce.

Cranberry Pan Sauce Ingredients:

• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 Tbsp butter

Cranberry Pan Sauce Method:

1. Skim the fat from the pan juices (or use a gravy de-greasing pitcher if you have one).
2. Place the pan on top of the stove over medium high flame and bring the juices to a boil. Add the wine to the pan to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any lovely brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
3. Remove pan from the heat and strain the liquids through a sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing down on the solids with the back of the spoon to extract as much of their goodness as possible.
4. Bring the saucepan to a boil over medium-high flame and cook until the juices are reduced by half.
5. Stir in the honey, broth, tomato paste and any juices that have collected around the hens.
6. Add the cranberries and return to a boil, cooking until the cranberries pop, about 3 minutes. Swirl in the butter. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
7. Serve the hens with some sauce poured over and the rest in a pitcher for your saucier guests.

Cranberries Growing in a Cranberry Bog

Cranberries

Chardonnay from the Bourgogne

Game Hen on the Hoof

Yellow Onions

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