This recipe for a Cornish Game hen looks like a fancy restaurant recipe. However, you can easily make this at home– and it’s a winner! The pomegranate molasses gives a tangy and flavorful finish to the skin (you can easily make your own).
For New Year’s Eve, Craig and I prefer to stay at home. I try to make something a bit on the fancy side, where we can safely drink a bottle of champagne or wine. Cheese Fondue has become a tradition, for us. I’m not ashamed to admit that we’re usually asleep by 10:00pm, after watching the East Coast pre-recorded Times Square stroke of midnight. Yeah, we’re living “La Vida Loca”.
While on Christmas break (I’ve since retired in 2020), I had time to watch some pre-recorded shows of Anne Burrell’s Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. I love her quirky blonde hair, and her zany way of teaching. In one episode, Anne made Cornish Game Hens with Pomegranate Molasses. I taught myself how to make Pomegranate Molasses, last year (and it’s super easy, by the way). Sold! I’m making this!
I’ve never made Cornish Game Hens, and I’m not sure why. I saw them at Whole Foods, and that made choosing my New Year’s Eve menu pretty simple.
I asked the butcher to remove the spine so that the hens would be butterflied.
I felt a little bit better, once I tied the legs together.
First, I poured some of my homemade pomegranate molasses into a pan, with some smashed garlic, on medium heat.
In a screaming hot pan, with olive oil, sear the seasoned chicken (salt & pepper), skin side down, for a good 6-7 minutes. (Of course the skin needs to be patted dry, and free of any kind of moisture.)
Cook the other side for about 3 minutes, and then placed them on a baking tray. I brushed the pomegranate molasses onto each bird, and returned them back to the pan into the oven, at 350F, for about 20 minutes.
I was sorely tempted to make Anne’s Israeli Couscous with dried apricots and pomegranate arils. However, my husband isn’t crazy about couscous, but he loves Brussels Sprouts. I remembered a recipe I had made, last year, for Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Molasses and Vanilla Pecan Butter. I wanted to tie in the Pomegranates, so this seemed the perfect choice. I decided not to make the Vanilla Pecan Butter, though. Instead, I added the zest of lime, lemon and orange– and it smelled so bright and lovely.
Once the Brussels Sprouts were roasted, I drizzled them with the remaining pomegranate molasses and added some pomegranate arils that I easily de-seeded…
… using my underwater method (sure alleviates a juicy mess).
Happy New Year, for the Love of my Life. I presented to him the Cornish Game Hen and his favorite vegetable.
TASTING NOTES: The dinner looked fancy, with a candle lit table and soft music. Flavor-wise, the bird was moist and flavorful. Craig ate the whole bird, without any problem. The Brussels Sprouts turned out to be my favorite part of the meal. I’m the one who’s a bit underwhelmed by this veggie, but the citrus zest and molasses was perfect. I loved the crunch of the tart pomegranate arils. As far as the work involved, it was no more difficult than a typical work night dinner.
Happy New Year!
Cornish Game Hens with Pomegranate Molasses
Ingredients
- 4 Cornish game hens split, spine and wing tips removed
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 1 bottle 12 fluid ounces pomegranate molasses*
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tablespoons sliced scallion greens cut thin on the bias, for garnish
Instructions
- Tie each hen’s legs together with butcher’s twine or a blanched scallion green.
- Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Season the hens on both sides generously with salt. Carefully lay the hens in the pan, skin side down, and cook until the skin becomes brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the hens over and brown on the flesh side. Do not crowd your pan, you may need to do this in batches. Remove the hens to a sheet tray.
- Meanwhile, combine the molasses and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring the molasses to a boil and reduce by half until syrupy, about 20 minutes. NOTE: Be careful, as the molasses can burn.
- Brush the hens on both sides with the reduced molasses. Put the hens in the oven and roast until they are cooked through, basting occasionally, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the hens from the oven and garnish with the sliced scallions
Notes
Debby,
Happy Anniversary and best wishes for the new year! I'd love to be where your at. How wonderful. I've never made a Cornish Game Hen before. Sounds like you had a wonderful dinner. Pat
Happy anniversary to you both. I saw your recipe and that handsome man on FB and dropped by to read more. Your dinner plans for NY's eve sound perfect. I had the same feeling you did when we were in France and I ordered a very small bird for lunch. Guess it must be a gal thing.
Happy new year to you both and I hope 2012 brings you much happiness and good health on your seventh year.
sam
Happy anniversary, enjoy San Francisco and all that wonderful town has to offer. It also looks like you have started 2012 off the way it should be with good food and some relaxation.
Happy Anniversary! Have so much fun in SF! Thanks for the photos… enticing me each time. I love your fancy schmancy posts.
We make game hens quite often and never thought to use pomegranate molasses (which we have in our cabinet!). Thanks for the idea! Happy New Year and Anniversary! Enjoy your trip to SF.
Aww happy anniversary, chica! I wish you an infinite number of more years of happiness and love!
Pomegranate molasses sounds like the perfect marinade for that bird!
Gorgeous looking recipe, perfectly executed. We're the stay-at-home sort for NYE too, and think that's the best way, so I can imagine cooking up something like this would suit beautifully. Best of all is your comment about savoring the sense of 'newlywed' long past its supposed expiration date. I feel so lucky that we feel that way as well, 15 years in and counting. Can't imagine anything lovelier. Happy anniversary!
Kathryn
You did good!
I was hoping to make a variation of Anne's recipe last week. My molasses (Alton's recipe) quickly went from syrup to taffy and then the trash. Ended up roasting the little bird with herbs instead. They are a bit over-rated, aren't they?
Happy anniversary to you and Craig! You certainly went all out and made a gorgeous dinner, Debby. The game hens look perfectly glazed and all yummy and sticky. Saying that, I think the brussels would probably be favorite too. I can't get enough of them.
I love love love game hens and I often use this method to cook them (butterfly, brown, glaze, and bake). I agree that they price can get away from you though. I usually only have them for special occasions or if I can get a good deal on them.
Happy anniversary and your hubs is quite the hottie!
I love Anne Burrell and watch her all the time. I was rooting for her on Next Iron Chef and was sad when she was ousted. This looks like a great recipe, I've seen her make it.
I enjoy Anne Burrell also. I do try to catch the show once in awhile…usually while ironing! 🙂
Your game hens look splendid! I must give them a try…..but…I will have to block out the memory of what they really are…..
Debby, Happy Anniversary!! So happy for you both! Wishing you many, many more wonderful, loving years together! Your PB/SF getaway sounds so relaxing.
I'll be making the pomegranate molasses soon, looks so good. Might try the recipe on a regular chicken since there's one in my freezer.
Gorgeous scenery, hopefully I will have the opportunity to visit some time. Your New Year Eve's dinner was perfect. Happy anniversary and Happy New Year.
Happy Anniversary to you. My husband and I have been married six months. There's something absolutely wonderful about finding the love of your life at 56. I wish you many years of married bliss.
Your dinner is b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l, Debby, truly anniversary worthy. I don't prepare game hens very often because eating them involves fussing with the bones. I'm off now to check out the recipe for the pomegranate molasses. It sounds yummy.
I love peeking in on your blog from time to time! An easy way to de-seed pomagranates, that I learned from my grandfather, is to cut the pom in half turn it upside down in your palm and beat the bottom of it with a large spoon. The seeds just fall out! Make sure that you do it over a bowl! Try it, you'll be amazed!
I'm new to the blogging world and love it I've never left a comment either but I enjoy your recipes and your posts! Amazing food for sure!