Main Course: CORNISH GAME HENS WITH MUSTARD AND ROSEMARY

Another thanks to www.epicurious.com - delicious even though we were all quite full at this point, but I love serving individual Cornish Hens to people - the presentation is so nice and clean as you deliver the meal. I don't know how this would work for more than four or six people but for a small party it works well. I also served this with Giada's Brussel Sprouts, look for a future post on how I've changed her recipe a bit for a really yummy roasted flavor with the pancetta.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH MUSTARD AND ROSEMARY
You can view the complete recipe online at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/619

This was great but the really flavor was in the sauce, while definitely not a New Year's Resolution diet list this sauce was a great accompaniment to the chicken and I would recommend making with other turkey or roast chicken recipes, I used low fat mayo and you can probably reduce the mayo quantity and increase the apricot preserves.


6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/3 cup finely chopped prosciutto
5 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 1 1/2-pound Cornish game hens
1 1/2 cups canned chicken broth
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons apricot fruit spread



Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine butter, 3 tablespoons prosciutto, 2 1/2 teaspoons rosemary and 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Run fingers under skin over breast of each game hen, loosening skin from meat. Rub 1 tablespoon butter mixture under skin over breast of each hen. Sprinkle hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Place 1 teaspoons butter mixture in each cavity. Truss hens with kitchen string.

Place hens on rack in large roasting pan. Pour 1/3 cup broth over hens. Dot each hen with 1 teaspoon butter mixture. Roast hens 30 minutes, basting with remaining broth and butter every 10 minutes. Continue roasting without basting until juices run clear when thigh is pierced at thickest part, about 30 minutes more. Reserve 1/4 cup pan juices. Cool hens. Cut each hen in half.

Mix mayonnaise, apricot spread, remaining prosciutto, rosemary and mustard, and 1/4 cup pan juices in small bowl. (Hens and sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) This is from www.food.com - great recipe and easily the best way to make brussel sprouts!


Giada's Brussel Sprouts

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces paper-thin slices pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

Partially cook the Brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 4 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and saute until heated through and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the broth and simmer until the broth reduces just enough to coat the Brussels sprouts, about 3 minutes. Serve.