Today, I share a cooking recipe with you subscribers. Officially in the “holiday season”, Advent and Christmas, this recipe is geared towards those who might be celebrating alone or in a small group such as a couple.

Stuffed Cornish Game Hen:

Start with a 1 lb. packaged, frozen, hen. Not all stores sell these small hens, but you can easily substitute with a “normal” sized (small) hen. Store it in your freezer, until you cook it.

When nearing cook day, transfer it from freezer to refrigerator. Allow it to thaw in the original packaging for 1-2 days, before eating day. Conversely, (if cooking it the same day, thaw it in a bowl of fresh water while the packaging is still on it.

After it is thawed and ready for cooking, remove packaging – drain the fowl in your sink (but do not rinse it).

In a separate clean bowl, mix 2 cups of fresh cold water with one tablespoon of salt (diluted in) – to make a brine. Sea salt is my favorite choice.

Submerge your hen into the bowl and allow the brine to soak it for about 45 minutes – 60 minutes.

As it is doing that, prepare your stuffing.

Stuffing ingredients: My stuffing ingredients are partially secret; but, two of the ingredients are crumbled fresh bread and turkey stock. You can add finely chopped vegetable (such as onion, celery; even certain diced fruit like raisins or dried cranberry) and a pat of butter, in the first phase of half-cooking your stuffing. My secret stuffing uses 4 such ingredients.

One Cornish hen does not have space for excessive amounts of stuffing, so measure out 1cup for the smaller size bird. This is not a turkey recipe. You can use a small, sharp, knife to cut the hen’s neck cavity more (1-3 centimeters) – thus making it easier to stuff. Stuff from both ends of your bird; and, use toothpick to close the cavity if you wish to contain stuffing better before oven time.

Extra tips for the bird: Pepper the breast side of your bird which will be facing up during all the cooking time.

A few cubic centimeters of room temperature turkey stock can also be used to baste the hen, while it is in the oven for the cooking time. Baste every 15 minutes.

First phase of stuffing cooking (half cook):

For stuffing, 75 cubic centimeters of stock go into a stove-top pot. Add a pat of butter, then add one cup of your stuffing mass. Simmer this on medium-low – low heat until much of the liquid is evaporated and fully incorporated into what is now a sort of “mush”.
Precook the stuffing this way, but it will cook in the bird too further as it all bakes. Don’t allow the stuffing to cake to the pot nor burn. You only cook this for a few short minutes, constantly stirring. I use a wooden spoon for this process.

Then, remove stuffing from the heat, cover the pot, and set it aside to cool.

Once it is cooled, you stuff the hen with it before putting the hen in the oven.

Your brine process of the hen should be near completion now. After 60 minutes maximum, drain the liquid out of your fowl again, pat dry your hen if you wish to, stuff it, tie the legs together with cooking string (toothpicks as needed); and place it on a rack, with a drip pan below it. Your a shallow bake-pan should be lined with aluminum foil. Breast side up, insert it in preheated oven (375 degrees F).

Cook the hen for at least 1 hour, at 375 degrees F. (Refer to the hen packaging, for suggested internal temperature requirements and use your cooking thermometer).

I prefer a constant temperature broil method; and, I prefer not to baste with butter. Instead, I baste with the turkey stock.

It’s important that your bird be in the middle rack of your oven (not below and not above middle). My oven cooked this in 75 minutes, with golden brown appearance and internal juiciness.

Potato salad side:

Ingredients: potatoes (any kind – though ‘Russet’ or ‘Yukon Gold’ are perhaps best), scallions (or celery), olives, vinegar, black pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, salt

Wash your potatoes.
You can leave skins on, partially skin them, or completely scale off the skins.

In a large boiling pot of water, submerge your potatoes. I usually halve them before boiling so that they cook a bit quicker and more evenly.

Using fresh, unsalted water in a deep pot works fine. Use a fork or sharp knife to test for tenderness after they have boiled.

When they are tender, drain your pot of the water, and allow the potatoes to cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, place chopped scallions or chopped celery. Optionally, add diced or sliced olives.
Add a splash of vinegar and black pepper.

Once your potatoes have cooled, dice them (leave these parts chunky).

Then, add mayonnaise. Stir.

You can finally add a little bit of spicy mustard now also and salt as needed.

The proportions are completely up to you; and are dependent on how many pounds of potato used. With practice, you’ll find the right amounts for your preference.

This is sure not to disappoint – for any feast of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any Day of Advent. Enjoy!