| Heat
the oven to 375°. Place the garlic and lemon quarters
in the cavity of each game hen. Rub the game hens with the
olive oil and sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning, salt and
pepper.
Place the wing tips under the game hens and tie the drumsticks
to the body using cotton kitchen string. Place the game
hens, breast side up, on a rack over a roasting pan.
Roast the game hens for one hour, basting frequently with
the beef stock and juices that accumulate in the bottom
of the roasting pan.
Remove the game hens from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
Pour the roasting pan juices through a fine sieve into
a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the juices from the
baked apples to the saucepan. Bring the pan juices to a
boil. Continue to boil the pan juices for 5 minutes to reduce
the sauce and concentrate the flavors. Serve the pan juices
with the game hens.
Cut each game hen in half and serve half a game hen per
person with the pan juices.
Next, bake the apples. Heat the oven to 375°.
Cut the apples in half. Leave the outside skin on the apples.
Cut out the core of each apple, making a well in the center.
Place the apple halves in a small pie dish or casserole
dish. Place one tablespoon of the butter in the center of
each apple and sprinkle each apples with some of the granulated
sugar. Drizzle the sweet wine over each apple. Pour the
water into the bottom of the dish.
Bake the apples for 30 minutes, basting frequently with
the pan juices. Remove the apples from the oven, reserving
the pan juices. Pour the apple pan juices into the pan juices
from the roasted game hens.
To make the stuffing, yes, you guessed it -- heat the oven
to 375°.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and sauté
until the bacon is browned. Remove the bacon from the skillet
with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Leave some
of the bacon fat in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic
to the skillet and sauté just until the onion turns
transparent, about 3 minutes. Remove the onion and garlic
from the skillet and place in a mixing bowl.
Add the bacon, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, Stilton, walnuts,
chopped sage, salt and pepper to the bowl with the onion
and garlic. Stir the mixture with a spoon so that the ingredients
are thoroughly combined.
Spoon the pumpkin mixture into a casserole dish, cover
and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pumpkin from the oven.
Spoon some of the pumpkin into one of the baked apple halves
and serve with the Roasted Cornish Game Hens.
|
