Spicy Orange-Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Irv Miller

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

4 (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) Cornish game hens
4 cloves peeled garlic
2 (1-inch) pieces of peeled and coarse-chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup light soy sauce
3 tablespoons artisan honey
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon minced orange zest
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
Dash fresh-ground black pepper
Pinch kosher salt

Instructions:

For the marinade: Rinse hens, trim off excess fat, and pat dry. Arrange the hens in a shallow roasting pan. Place garlic, ginger, and rosemary in a food processor and pulse to process. Turn machine on and add soy sauce, honey, oil, orange juice, zest, crushed red peppers, black pepper, and salt. Blend well. Pour mixture over game hens, coating well. Refrigerate overnight, turning several times.

To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place shallow roasting pan with the hens and marinade in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, covered, basting every 15 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes. Transfer hens to a serving platter. Place a saucepot over medium heat, pour in all the cooked Cornish hen marinade and juices, bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Strain and pour over hens just before serving. Serve your favorite side, such as rice or potatoes.