Cornish Game Hens With A Madeira Citrus Sauce

I love cornish game hens and, like most people, tend to ignore them for periods of time. Try this and the sauce will make you want to cook this more often.

 

4 frozen cornish game hens, thawed

salt

pinch of pepper

3/4 cup melted butter

 

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Run cold water through the cavity of the hens and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle cavity of each hen with a pinch of salt and pepper. Tie the legs together and arrange with breast side up in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with butter.

Roast for 15 minutes, uncovered,  then lower the temperature to 400 degrees.

Turn the hens upside down. Pour 1/2 cup water over the hens and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

Turn the hens one more time, baste with pan drippings and now, uncovered and basting often, roast a further 30 minutes, until tender.

 

Sauce

 

1/4 cup orange peel

1  1/2 tbsp. lime peel

3/4 cup orange juice

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 cup, red currant jelly

1/2 cup Madeira wine

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. ginger

pinch of salt

drop of Tabasco

 

In a small saucepan, combine the orange and lime peels and  juices and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the peels become translucent.

Add the wine, currant jelly, mustard, ginger, salt and Tabasco. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to reduce to 1 1/4 cups, then cool for 10 minutes.

To serve, plate each one and pour sauce over. Any extra pour into a bowl for everyone to add more if needed. (there won ‘t be any, but I thought I would add it anyway).