Marinated Cornish Hens with Dried Apricot Stuffing

For the marinade:

1/4 C reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/4 C rice wine or dry sherry

1/4 C vegetable oil

2 T cider vinegar

2 T Dijon mustard

2 T local honey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T minced fresh ginger

    or ½ tsp each ground ginger and finely grated lemon or orange rind

2 Rock Cornish hens (about 1 ½ pound each)

For the stuffing:

3 T unsalted butter

1 lg yellow onion, finely chopped

1 medium-size stalk celery, finely chopped

1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen green peas, thawed and drained

4 C cooked quick-cooking or long-grain white rice

½ C low sodium Chicken Stock

4 oz B&R Farms Dried Apricots, chopped (1 cup)

½ C toasted slivered almonds

1/4 t each dried thyme and sage

½ t salt

½ t black pepper

For the glaze:

½ C B&R Farms Dried Apricot Preserves

 

1. For the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, wine, oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, and ginger. Place a large plastic bag inside another (to double the thickness), add the hens and marinade and seal. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Drain the hens, reserving the marinade and pat dry with paper toweling.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. For the stuffing: Melt the butter in a 12" skillet over moderate heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft - 5 min. Remove from the heat and stir in the peas, rice, stock, apricots, almonds, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, mixing well. Fill each hen loosely with stuffing and tie the legs together. Place the remaining stuffing in a greased 1 ½ quart casserole and cover with foil; set aside.

3. For the glaze: In a small saucepan over moderate heat, combine the reserved marinade and preserves. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened - about 5 min.

4. Arrange the hens, breast side up, in a medium-size baking pan and spoon the glaze over them. Roast, uncovered, basting occasionally for 1 hour or until the legs move easily in the hip sockets. Bake the covered casserole of stuffing in the oven along with the hens for the last 40 min.

5. Remove the strings and split each hen in half. Serve with the extra stuffing. Serves 4.