by Kathy Douglas | Nov 13, 2024 | Entrees
Cornish hens make for an effortlessly elegant holiday dish, perfect for impressing guests or elevating a memorable evening. Their natural affinity for lemon and fruity flavors is beautifully showcased in our recipe, where a combination of apricot jam and Meyer lemon creates a truly exquisite taste. Meyer lemons are in season from December through May; however, regular lemons can easily be substituted to deliver a similar delightful flavor. This recipe makes four servings.
Apricot Glacé
2 tbsp Meyer Lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
⅔ cup apricot jam
Cornish Game Hens
2 Cornish hens, approximately 1½ pounds each
2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Olive oil
Meyer Lemon Beurre Blanc
¼ cup Meyer lemon juice
¼ cup tablespoons white vinegar
3 tsp minced shallot, finely diced
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup butter, diced
1 tsp Meyer lemon zest
Kosher Salt
White pepper
Rosemary Wild Rice
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1 cup wild rice
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried and crushed
1¾ cups chicken stock
2 tsp Meyer lemon zest
½ cup chopped parsley
Fresh ground white pepper
Buttery Toasted Pine Nuts
1 tsp unsalted butter
¼ cup pine nuts
¼ tsp kosher salt
Prepare the Apricot Glacé
Whisk the Meyer lemon juice and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Melt the apricot jam in a small saucepan over low heat, then whisk in the lemon/cornstarch mixture. When combined, add to a blender or use an immersion blender, process until very smooth, and return to a clean saucepan. Keep warm; cover and hold over very low heat. The sauce can be made the day prior and reheated gently over low heat.
Prepare the Pine Nuts
Melt the butter in a small sauté pan. Add the pine nuts, toss often, and cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Place in a bowl and add the salt and toss.
Prepare the Cornish Game Hens
Remove the backbones from the hens with a sharp knife or poultry shears and slice through the breastbone, cutting the hens in half. Place in a glass dish, skin side up. Whisk together the buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne. Pour over the hens, turn them over skin side down, cover, and marinate refrigerated for 4 hours or overnight.
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450˚F. Wash the buttermilk off the hens and dry thoroughly. Brush the skin of the hens with olive oil and set them, skin side up, on a wire rack set in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the skin with salt. Place in the preheated oven and roast the hens until almost cooked through, about 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should register 165 degrees.
Brush the hens with the Apricot Glacé and continue to roast until the Glacé has browned in spots and the thermometer registers 170 degrees in the thigh, about 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from the oven, and brush again with Apricot Glacé. If needed, cover the finished hens with foil and finish the rest of the ingredients.
While the hen bakes, prepare the Wild Rice
While the hens bake, prepare the rice. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook while stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and rosemary; cook, stirring, until the rice smells toasty, about 1 minute. Add the stock and follow the time directions on the package to cook the wild rice. When cooked, stir in the lemon zest and parsley. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
While the hen bakes, prepare the Meyer Lemon Beurre Blanc
While the Cornish Game hens bake, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat add the lemon juice, vinegar, and shallots and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to one-fourth or 2 tablespoons. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, reducing the cream slightly for about one minute.
Take the pan off the heat and swirl in several pieces of diced butter—about a fourth of the butter. When the butter is incorporated, whisk in a few more pieces, about another fourth of the butter. The sauce should begin to feel smooth and look creamy. Place the pan back over medium-low heat and whisk in the remaining butter until the sauce is smooth. Add salt and a pinch of white pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve in a clean saucepan.
Gently stir in the lemon zest and season to taste with more salt and white pepper. Keep warm in a double boiler over low heat.
Finish the Dish
Add a serving of the wild rice to four warmed plates, top each with a Cornish Game Hen half, drizzle some Meyer lemon Beurre Blanc sauce around the hens, and garnish with pine nuts.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 30, 2024 | Entrees
Get ready for a thriller with these spooky yet scrumptious Skull-Shaped Stuffed Pizzas! Perfect for Halloween (or any eerie occasion), these savory skulls are filled with rich, easy homemade marinara sauce, juicy sausage, and sweet red onions. With each bite, you’ll experience a burst of flavors encased in a perfectly baked, golden crust. Whether you’re hosting a haunted gathering or want to add a fun twist to your pizza night, these stuffed pizzas will be a hit! Makes 3 pizzas
Marinara Sauce
16 oz can Italian tomatoes, chopped fine
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
½ tsp Italian Seasoning
½ tsp salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Pizzas
3 spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
1 lb pizza dough, homemade or high-quality store-purchased
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
3 to 4 basil leaves torn into pieces
Prepare the Marinara
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree. Transfer to a small pot to heat on the stovetop or microwave until warm. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
Prepare the stuffed pizzas
Preheat oven to 475˚F degrees. Line a sheet tray or two with parchment paper. (depending on the size of the pizzas, you may need two trays).
Add the sausage (casings removed) to a large sauté pan. Cook, cutting into small pieces, over medium heat until no longer pink in the center. Set aside to cool slightly.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into three balls. Set two aside and start with one ball. Cover the other two with a floured towel.
Divide the one dough ball into two pieces – 2/3 and 1/3 sizes. Set the 1/3 piece aside, covered.
Stretch the 2/3 piece of dough to make a 6-7” oval-shaped pizza. In the center, add 1/3 of the sausage, 1/3 of the onion, and 1/3 of the mozzarella, leaving room for a crust. Then, add 2-4 tablespoons of marinara sauce and the basil leaves over the top of the cheese and sausage.
Continue with the rest of the dough, making three pizzas and saving the three 1/3 pieces of dough covered with a towel. Add the pizzas to the parchment-lined pan.
Using the remaining 1/3 of the dough pieces, stretch each one into a skull shape large enough to cover only the sauced center. Using a small knife, cut eye holes, nose, and teeth. Gently place the skull over the sauced area and softly pinch it to connect the edges on the sides and top of the skull (not the teeth portion). Brush the dough, skull, and crust with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.
Bake one tray at a time in the oven center for 14-18 minutes or until the bottom and top are browned and the crust is cooked through. Serve immediately.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 22, 2024 | Entrees
Elevate your Halloween menu with these fun and flavorful Pumpkin-Face Chicken Pot Pies! These pies are the ultimate fall comfort food, packed with a hearty filling of tender chicken, carrots, celery, and onions, seasoned with tarragon and parsley. Topped with golden, flaky puff pastry shaped like playful pumpkin faces, they add a spooky yet charming touch to your fall festivities. Makes 4-5 potpies.
1 box puff pastry (Dufour or Pepperidge Farm)
1 egg white
2 cups of boxed unsalted chicken stock
½ cup carrots, peeled and diced
½ cup celery, diced
2 cups diced onion
6 tbsp unsalted butter
6 tbsp of all-purpose flour
1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 tbsp of white wine
2 cups of cooked, cubed chicken breasts
¾ cup of frozen peas
1 ½ tbsp of fresh tarragon leaves
1 tbsp of finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp of freshly ground pepper
Prepare the pumpkin tops
Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the puff pastry out on a floured cutting board. Cut out four circles the size of the top of 4-5″ ramekins. Lay the cut-out circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and crimp the outer side of the circle, making the circle slightly smaller (it will puff back when baked), then cut out the eyes and a mouth, removing those pieces. Whisk the egg white with one tbsp water, then lightly brush the egg wash over the pumpkin faces. Place in the oven and bake 20-22 minutes until slightly puffed and browned. Leave on the sheet pan and set aside while you make the filling .(Leaving the oven on.)
Prepare the chicken filling:
Heat the stock in a saucepan over medium heat with the carrots, celery, and onions. When simmering, cover and lower the heat. Cook for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender, then set aside and keep warm.
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook the flour, constantly stirring, until the mixture smells nutty, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk in half the stock and vegetables until smooth. Whisk in the balance of the stock until you have a smooth, thick mixture. Add the wine, garlic, chicken, peas, parsley, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Stir in well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as desired. Transfer the mixture to the ramekins, place on a foil-lined sheet tray, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove and rest for 5 minutes, then top each with a puff pastry pumpkin face and serve warm.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 8, 2024 | Entrees
Elevate your weeknight dinners with this irresistible fusion of flavors. Our Peanut Sauce Chicken with Spicy Cilantro Rice combines tender, juicy chicken thighs coated in a creamy, nutty peanut sauce with a zesty kick from a bed of fragrant cilantro rice. The spice in the sauce and rice creates a perfect balance that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more. Makes 4 servings.
Peanut Sauce
1 small jalapeno chile, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
Kosher salt
Chicken Thighs
1 lb bone-in chicken thighs
1 ½ tsp salt, or more to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ cup Roasted and Salted Peanuts, Chopped
Cilantro Rice
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup long-grain white rice, such as jasmine or basmati
1 ½ cups water
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp Aleppo Pepper or ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
Juice of ½ lime, plus more to taste
¼ cup cilantro leaves, separated from stems and chopped
Make the Peanut Sauce
In a high-speed blender, pulse chile, garlic, peanut butter, coconut milk, brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, and fish sauce until smooth.
Transfer peanut sauce to a small saucepan and add ¼ cup water (if too thick, add a splash or so of water as needed). Heat over medium-low, whisking often, until smooth and hot, about 5 minutes; season with salt.
Keep warm over low heat, whisking occasionally.
Make the Chicken
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and place chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet and cook, without moving, until golden brown, a out 7 to 9 minutes. Flip the thighs over and brush with some of the peanut sauce. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165˚F. Remove from the heat and brush with more peanut sauce, cover, and set aside to keep warm. Brush with remaining sauce before serving and top with chopped peanuts,
Make the Cilantro Rice
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, then the rice and stir until coated with the butter and oil, just a few seconds.
Add 1½ cups water, raise the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and cook until all the water is absorbed, for 17 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, still covered, to steam for 10 more minutes.
Stir in the salt, cilantro leaves, Aleppo or Crushed Red Pepper, and lime juice. Taste and add more salt and lime juice as desired.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 10, 2024 | Appetizers, Entrees
Spice up your dinner routine with these irresistible Korean Steak Bites in Hoisin Sauce. Tender, juicy pieces of marinated steak are seared to perfection and tossed in a rich, savory hoisin sauce that delivers a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and umami flavors. Ideal as an appetizer or a main dish, these steak bites bring the bold and vibrant tastes of Korean cuisine to your table with minimal effort and maximum flavor. Makes 2 servings as a main dish or 4 servings as an appetizer.
16 ounces one-inch-thick Rib Eye Steak
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 green onions, white and green, thinly sliced, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp plus 2 tsp hoisin sauce, divided
¼ tsp fresh grated ginger
¼ tsp gochujang chili paste
Cooking spray, as needed
½ tsp sesame seeds
Cut the Rib Eye Steak into 1” cubes.
Add the sesame oil, rice vinegar, 1 thinly sliced green onion, minced clove of garlic, 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce, fresh ginger, and gochujang, and whisk together in a large bowl.
Add the beef tenderloin cubes and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a metal rack on the foil. Spray the rack with cooking spray. Remove the rib eye cubes from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and place on the rack. Bake in the oven on broil for about 8 minutes, turning halfway through for medium 135˚F to medium-well or 140˚F. Transfer the cubed cooked rib eye to a bowl.
While the steak cooks, add the left over marinade with the remaining 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or to 165˚F to reduce the liquid. The remaining liquid must be cooked to 165˚F before adding to the cooked steak for food safety reasons. Add the reduced sauce to the cooked steak and toss well to coat.
Place onto a serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and remaining thinly sliced green onions.
by Kathy Douglas | Aug 13, 2024 | Entrees
Use an air fryer to elevate your seafood experience with this innovative shrimp boil recipe! Combining the traditional flavors of a classic shrimp boil with the convenience and crispiness of air frying, this recipe is a game-changer. Imagine succulent shrimp, tender potatoes, juicy corn, and savory sausage all perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection in a fraction of the time. Whether you’re hosting a small casual gathering or craving a taste of the coast, this air fryer shrimp boil is a delightful and easy-to-make dish that brings a modern twist to a beloved favorite. Serves 4.
1 lb fresh large shrimp, shelled and deveined
5 tbsp butter
nonstick cooking spray
8 oz small new potatoes, whole, larger ones cut in half
2 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
2 sweet medium purple onions, sliced into ½ rings
1 tablespoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
One pound andouille sausages, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
Chopped parsley leaves
If you have small corncobs, cut in half and large one in three pieces.
Rinse the shrimp and peel and devein them if needed. Preheat your air fryer or set your oven to Air Fry and heat to 370˚F. Coat your air fryer basket with cooking spray.
Melt the butter on the stove in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of Old Bay Seafood Seasoning and whisk to combine completely.
In a large bowl, add the small new potatoes, cut corn cobs, and onion slices. Using only half of the seasoned butter, pour over the mixture and toss to coat everything. Add to the air-fry basket and cook for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, stir the vegetables and add in the shrimp and the sausages. Cook for 5-8 minutes longer or until the potatoes are fork tender, the shrimp are pink and cooked to 145˚F, and the sausage is cooked to 160˚F.
Pour the contents onto a large platter and pour over the remaining seasoned butter. Sprinkle over parsley leaves and serve immediately.
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