Cornish Game Hens With Cherry-rice Stuffing

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 8 ounces cherries, pitted
• 2 tablespoons chopped dried apricots
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 (1 1/2 lb) cornish hens
• 1/3 cup apricot jam

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 425°f in skillet melt 2 tbsp butter over med heat.
• 2 add celery and shallots; cook, stirring often, until tender, about 4 minute remove from heat; stir in rice, cherries, apricots, parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.
• 3 rub hens with remaining butter; sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
• 4 fill cavities with stuffing.
• 5 place on rack in roasting pan.
• 6 roast 15 minute reduce oven temp to 350f roast 45 minute.
• 7 stir 1 tbsp water into jam; brush over hens.
• 8 roast until meat thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180f, about 15 minute.