Cornish Game Hens with Cherry-Chambord Sauce Sunday Dinner

This is a perfect family gathering dish that combines sophisticated flavors, sweetness and healthy, spicy vegetables.  This is always a hit at my family's Sunday dinners, and accommodates both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.  Cherries are a favorite pairing for game hen recipes, but my combination with Chambord Liqueur (an infusion of red and black raspberries, Madagascar vanilla and XO cognac) adds a decadent flavor to this dish from the main course all the way to dessert. 

                                                               On the Menu

1st Course: Starters - Biscuits & Spinach Salad with Dried Cherries and Pancetta

2nd Course: Appetizer - Spicy Zucchini Fritters with Lemon-Garlic Cream Cheese & Smoked Salmon.

3rd Course: Main Dish - Cornish Game Hens with Cherry-Chambord Sauce.  Stuffed with Wild Rice Pilaf.

4th Course: Side Dishes - Sweet & Spicy Glazed Carrots & Steamed Asparagus with Bearnaise Sauce.

5th Course: Recommended Dessert - Chambord Creme Brulee

Starters: Biscuits & Spinach Salad with Dried Cherries and Pancetta 

For the starters course, I serve a fresh spinach salad sprinkled with some fried pancetta (you can also substitute pancetta with bacon or ham) that's been diced and sprinkle the salad with some dried cherries.  At our family table, each person uses their favorite dressing from Ranch to Italian dressings, but for best flavor, I recommend either a Champagne vinaigrette or a raspberry vinaigrette.  For the biscuits, I simply made Pillsbury Grands to save time, but you are welcome to bake from scratch if that's your preference.

Appetizer: Spicy Zucchini Fritters with Lemon-Garlic Cream Cheese & Smoked Salmon.

Ingredients - makes approximately 8 fritters:

3-4 zucchini, ends removed, shredded

1 egg

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp of low-fat cream cheese

2 tbsp lemon juice

8 pcs. of sliced of smoked salmon 

1. Lay a paper towel at the bottom of a colander, put the shredded zucchini in and place another paper towel on top. 
2. Press to drain excess water from zucchini.
3. Sprinkle with garlic powder and let sit to continue to drain while you prepare the batter.
4. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, 2 cloves of minced garlic and red pepper flakes together in a mixing bowl.
5. Once mixed together, add in shredded zucchini.
6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Make a fritter by scooping a small handful of mixture and patting into a silver-dollar pancake size, again, squeezing out any additional moisture.
8. Place fritter into hot skillet and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes each side.
9. Mix cream cheese, lemon and remainder of garlic together until blended smoothly.
10. Top fritters with a spoonful of cream cheese and top cream cheese with a piece of smoked salmon (refer to picture).

The trick to these is to serve the fritters hot, with the cold cream cheese and salmon.  The blend of flavors and temperatures make this a unique appetizer.

Main Dish: Cornish Game Hens with Cherry-Chambord Sauce. Stuffed with Wild Rice Pilaf.

Ingredients - Serves 4:

2 Cornish game hens

1 tbsp butter

4 tbsp black cherry preserves

1/4 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup pinot noir wine

3 tbsp Chambord Liqueur

1-2 stalks of celery, sliced

1/4 cup onion, minced

1/4 cup Bella mushrooms, minced

Box of instant long grain and wild rice - usually needs 1-2 tbsp of butter and water to prepare.

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Rinse game hens thoroughly, place on a baking sheet (with a draining rack if you have one) and pat dry.  Most game hens are sold with the innards already removed but check and remove any as necessary.
3. Season hens with salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.
4. Cook hens for about 15 minutes or until they start to brown.  Remove and let cool.
5. While hens pre-cook, make wild rice according to instructions.  Add in celery, onion and mushrooms when you lower heat to simmer and cover.
6. In a sauce pan, melt 1 tbsp butter with the cherry preserves and dried cherries over a medium-high heat.
7. Slowly add in the wine.
8. Reduce heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced by 1/3.
9. Stir in Chambord Liqueur and continue to let simmer.
10. Hens should be cool enough to handle at this time.  Stuff the hens with the wild rice pilaf.
11. Spoon a thin layer of the cherry-chambord sauce over the hens (in order to make a light glaze).  Keep cherry-chambord sauce on a low heat.
12. Return hens to oven and continue to cook  for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until hens are 165 degrees F internally at their thickest part.
13. Remove from oven and transfer to serving dish, and cover with the remainder of the warm cherry-chambord sauce.  
14. Spoon remainder of wild rice pilaf onto the serving plate with the hens. 

Side Dishes: Sweet & Spicy Glazed Carrots & Steamed Asparagus with Bearnaise Sauce.

Sweet & Spicy Glazed Carrots 

Ingredients:

2 cups of baby carrots

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1. Heat oil in a skillet on low-medium heat, add carrots, cover and let carrots cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add in brown sugar and soy sauce, stirring well to coat carrots evenly.
3. Continue to cook until the glaze thickens into a syrup consistency and carrots are tender.  
4. Remove from heat, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve.

Steamed Asparagus with Bearnaise Sauce 

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh asparagus

1 cup butter, two sticks, melted

1/4 cup white wine

1 tbsp minced shallots

1 tbsp fresh tarragon - I do not recommend using dried tarragon

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

1. Pour about 1 inch of water into a skillet and add asparagus.  
2. Cover and steam over low-medium heat until a vibrant green.  
3. In a small saucepan, bring wine, shallots, tarragon, salt and pepper to a boil and reduce to about 2 tablespoons. Let cool slightly. 
4. Beat in yolks until smooth. 
5. Put mixture into a small stainless steel bowl and place in a skillet with about 1 inch of simmering water in it. 
6. Whisk sauce until it begins to thicken. Beat in butter, bit by bit. 
7. Before serving, lemon juice.

Don't forget dessert! 

Chambord Creme Brulee