Berries are a sweet summer treat and they are also nutritional powerhouses full of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants like anthocyanins, ellagic acid, and resveratrol that may help to prevent cancer. Berries are good for your heart and may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes.
This week’s recipe features cranberries in a delicious Cornish hen recipe, and was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody. She has been sharing her extensive collection of favorite recipes with friends, family, and the CCSA team as a means of maintaining connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Usually one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is.”
– Julia Child
Cornish Hens With Dried Cranberries
Seriously Simple: Easy Recipes for Creative Cooks
Diane Rossen Worthington (2002)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sherry or Marsala wine
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 Cornish hens (~1¼ pounds each), halved (the hens can be halved by cutting along the backbone)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup dry white wine
Instructions
- In a Ziplock bag, combine first 6 ingredients and mix. Add the Cornish hen halves, close the bag, and turn them to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 2–8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove the hens from the marinade and place in a roasting pan, breast side up. Pour the marinade over and roast in the oven, basting with pan juices every 15 minutes, for about 40–45 minutes or until golden brown. Place hens on a serving platter and cover with foil. Add cranberries and wine to the roasting pan and set on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Cook about 3 minutes to reduce juices or until cranberries are soft. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spoon over hens and serve immediately.
Notes
You may find there is not much juice left in the bottom of the pan after cooking. If so, you can make a half recipe of the marinade without the oil and add that to the pan with the white wine and cranberries in order to make the sauce.