Pomegranate Cornish Hens

POMEGRANATE CORNISH HENS
Roasted Cornish Hens, marinated in a pomegranate juice, and stuffed with a quince.

*A full-sized picture of this dish is available in the Gallery.

Ingredients for 4 servings:
2 small cornish hens
1 quince
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup pomegranate seeds
2 tbsp melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Preparing the hens.
Rinse and pat the hens dry with paper towels, and sprinkle the outside and inside of them with salt and pepper.

Place the hens into some container or plastic bag. Pour pomegranate juice all over the hens, and marinade in the refrigerator overnight or at least one hour, breast side down.

Preparing the stuffing (quince and pomegranate seeds).
Wash and cut into quarters the quince, don’t peel them. Remove the core with the seeds and all hard area around the core, and then thinly slice each quarter.

Roasting the hens.
Stuff the hens with the quince and pomegranate seeds, and place them in a roasting pan. Pour pomegranate juice (marinade) in your pan, and then pour melted butter over the hens. (For easier cleanup, you can line the pan with aluminum foil.)

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), and place the hens in the oven. Roast them until they are cooked and golden brown, basting every 20 minutes with the pans juices. To see if the hens are cooked, pierce the inner thigh with a skewer or fine knife. If the juices run clear, they are ready. If your hens are golden brown, but not cooked yet, just loosely cover them with the foil.

Remove the hens from the oven and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve hens with Pomegranate pilaf. Collect a very tasty sauce from the roasting pan, and generously pour it over the hens.

Bon Appétit! Enjoy!

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