Description
This is the perfect entrée for a holiday dinner for two. Complete the meal with sautéed green beans and wild mushrooms and a wild-rice pilaf with chopped fresh parsley and hazelnuts. For dessert? Chocolate mousse topped with rum-spiked whipped cream and chopped crystallized ginger.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Golden Brown Sugar
- Fresh Thyme
- Cornish Hens
- All-purpose Flour
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- White Grape Juice
- Frozen Cranberry Juice Concentrate
- Dried Sweetened Cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450f blend 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, and 2 teaspoons thyme in small bowl
- Sprinkle hen halves with salt and pepper
- Spread skin of each with half of butter mixture
- Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
- Add hen halves, skin side down
- Sear until deep brown, about 4 minutes
- Turn, skin side up, and sear 1 minute
- Remove from heat
- Transfer hen halves, skin side up, to small rimmed baking sheet
- Reserve skillet
- Roast hen halves until cooked through and juices run clear when pierced with fork, about 20 minutes
- Meanwhile, blend remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 / 2 tablespoon flour in small bowl
- Add broth, grape juice, cranberry concentrate, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme to reserved skillet
- Boil until sauce is reduced to 3 / 4 cup, whisking often, about 7 minutes
- Whisk in flour mixture and cranberries
- Simmer until sauce coats spoon, stirring often, about 2 minutes
- Season with salt and pepper
- Transfer hen halves to plates
- Spoon sauce over and serve