Game Hens With Pecan Rice Pilaf Recipe
Ingredients
| 2 Rock Cornish hens (about 1 1/2 pounds each) | ||
| Olive oil | 4 Teaspoon | |
| Paprika | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Ground black pepper | 1 To taste | |
| Butter | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Sesame seeds | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Garlic | 1 Clove (5gm), minced | |
| Ground ginger | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| 1 cup converted rice | ||
| Honey | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Water or chicken broth | 2 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 1/2 cup pecans, walnuts, or blanched almonds | ||
| Frozen peas package | 1 , thawed | |
| Golden Raisins | 2/3 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Lime wedges | 4 | |
| Salt | To Taste | |
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
2. Remove the giblets from the interior of the hens. With heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along either side of each backbone and remove it. Cut off and remove the first two joints of the wings, so only the fleshy joint is left on the breast. Also cut off and remove any excess neck skin. Pat the skin dry with paper towels.
3. Mix the oil with the paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper. With your fingers, rub this mixture into the birds. Set them, skin side down, in a baking dish large enough to accommodate them without crowding. Bake for 20 minutes; turn over and bake until cooked through, 15 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger and saute for a few seconds. Add the rice and saute for 1 minute to coat the kernels with the butter. Stir in the honey and broth, and bring the liquid to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. During this time coarsely chop the nuts.
5. Stir the peas and raisins into the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked through and the peas are warm, 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and keep warm, covered, until the game hens are done.
6. Right before serving, stir the nuts into the rice. Spoon a portion of rice on each plate. Arrange two halves of a hen over the rice, and garnish each plate with a wedge of lime to squeeze over the chicken.
2. Remove the giblets from the interior of the hens. With heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along either side of each backbone and remove it. Cut off and remove the first two joints of the wings, so only the fleshy joint is left on the breast. Also cut off and remove any excess neck skin. Pat the skin dry with paper towels.
3. Mix the oil with the paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper. With your fingers, rub this mixture into the birds. Set them, skin side down, in a baking dish large enough to accommodate them without crowding. Bake for 20 minutes; turn over and bake until cooked through, 15 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger and saute for a few seconds. Add the rice and saute for 1 minute to coat the kernels with the butter. Stir in the honey and broth, and bring the liquid to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. During this time coarsely chop the nuts.
5. Stir the peas and raisins into the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is cooked through and the peas are warm, 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and keep warm, covered, until the game hens are done.
6. Right before serving, stir the nuts into the rice. Spoon a portion of rice on each plate. Arrange two halves of a hen over the rice, and garnish each plate with a wedge of lime to squeeze over the chicken.
Chef
