Roast Cornish Game Hen

Cornish Game Hens (1 per person)
melted butter
for stuffing
1/2 cup white(golden) raisins
1/4 cup cognac
6 TBS butter
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups boiled rice
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts, pine nuts, almonds or a combination
grating of fresh nutmeg
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 1/2 to 2 cups milk
for glaze
1  cup apricot, cherry or peach preserves
1/2 cup honey
1 TBS cognac
1 TBS Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

A Regular Guys Recipe

If cornish hens are frozen, allow them to thaw completely.  Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Baste the hens with melted butter and dredge with flour.

Prepare stuffing.

Soak the raisins in cognac for 10 minutes.  Drain the raisins, reserving the cognac and saute the raisins in 6 TBS butter.  Add the shallots.  When lightly sauted, remove from heat.  mis in the salt, boiled rice, nuts and grated nutmeg.  Moisten the bread crumbs until just soften with milk.  Add the bread crumbs and reserved cognac to the mixture amd combine well.

Loosely stuff the hens with the stuffing.  Any extra stuffing can be heated and served as a side dish.  Tie the bird's legs and put them in the oven breast-side up.  Reduce heat immediately to 350. Roast until tender -- about 1 hour or a little longer.  The birds should be basted with melted butter every 15 minutes while roasting.

Prepare glaze

Combine preserves, honey, brandy and Grand Marnier and mix well.  About 10-15 minutes before birds are done, coat them with the glaze and return to the oven until the glaze caramelizes.

Remove from oven and serve.