Blueberry Cornbread Stuffed Game Hens
PREP TIME: 1 1/2 Hours
SERVES: 6

COMMENT:
Cornish game hens make an elegant dish for a dinner party or special celebration. Their leaner quality lends well to sauces and their natural drippings are very flavorful. I would recommend serving this dish with a dark green vegetable such as asparagus or broccoli and a loaf of crusty French bread.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Rock Cornish game hens
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1/2 pound bulk sausage
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced garlic
• 1/2 cup diced apples
• 4 cups cooked corn bread
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• salt and black pepper
• granulated garlic
• Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup melted butter

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse Cornish hens under cold running water. Drain well. Place the Cornish hens in a large cast iron dutch oven and sprinkle with the orange juice. Season generously, inside and out, using salt, pepper, granulated garlic and Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce. In a cast iron skillet, melt 1/4 pound of butter over medium-high heat. Add bulk sausage and cook until brown. Add onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add apples, blending well into the sausage mixture. When apples are slightly cooked, pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add blueberries, corn bread, parsley, green onions, sage, thyme and rosemary. Using a wooden spoon, fold the corn bread into the sausage mixture. Add two cups of chicken stock or enough to moisten the corn bread and hold the stuffing together. Add pecans and season to taste using the salt and pepper. Stuff the Cornish hens with equal amounts of the stuffing, placing any excess stuffing the the corners of the roasting pan. Top the hens with sherry and melted butter. Bake, uncovered, for approximately one hour, basting the hens frequently during the process. When hens are golden brown, remove them from the oven and serve with natural pan drippings.