Hens with Apricot Rice Stuffing
When you want to impress guests, you can’t beat these lovely Cornish game hens. Apricots and apricot preserves give the tender meat and moist wild rice stuffing a fruity flavor that everyone in our family loves. —Jodi Grable, Springfield, Missouri
SERVINGS
|
4
|
CATEGORY
|
Main Dish
|
METHOD
|
Baked
|
PREP |
25 min. |
COOK
|
120 min.
|
TOTAL
|
145 min.
|
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 6 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 cup cooked wild rice
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 Cornish game hens (20 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms, pecans and onion in 4 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in the rice, apricots, parsley, salt, pepper and cayenne.
Spoon about 3/4 cup rice mixture into each hen; tie legs together. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Melt remaining butter; drizzle over hens.
Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing. In a small saucepan, warm preserves and vinegar; spoon over hens. Bake 15 minutes longer. Yield: 4 servings.