Top Turkey Recipes

Douglas Friedman

Best Turkey Alternative

Jessica Alba and Mom Cathy Alba's Cornish Game Hens

Ingredients:
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped white mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 6 slices day-old white bread, cubed
• 1 cup cooked wild rice
• ½ cup each dried cranberries, dark raisins, chopped walnuts
• 2½ cups chicken broth, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 Cornish hens (about 1¼ lb. each)
• 1½ cups apricot-flavored brandy
• 2 sprigs each rosemary, sage and basil
• 1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

Directions:
1 Preheat over to 375°F. 2 In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; add onion, celery, mushrooms, garlic and poultry seasoning. Cook until vegetables have softened, about 8 minutes. 3 In large bowl, combine bread, rice, cranberries, raisins and walnuts. Stir in vegetable mixture. Add 1 cup broth and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve 2 cups mixture for stuffing hens. 4 Lightly grease 9"x9" baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into dish. Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes. 5 Meanwhile, in measuring cup, combine remaining broth and brandy. Set aside. 6 Discard neck and giblets; season hen cavities with salt and pepper. Stuff each with ½ cup stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Arrange breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Pour in half of brandy mixture; scatter herbs and oranges around poultry. Roast for 30 minutes basting occasionally. 7 Pour 1 cup brandy mixture into roasting pan. Continue roasting 15 to 20 minutes, or until thermometer inserted in hens registers 175°F. 8 Transfer to cutting board; let stand 10 minutes. Remove rack from pan and pour in remaining ½ cup brandy mixture. 9 Deglaze pan over high heat, scraping up brown bits. Toss herbs. Transfer liquid to saucepan and bring to boil until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 8.