Grilled Mexican Style Cornish Hens Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the scallions, bell pepper, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, thyme, allspice, ginger, brown sugar, chile pepper and 1 tablespoon salt in a food processor; pulse to make a thick sauce. Refrigerate 1/4 cup for serving.
• Season the hens all over with salt and pepper; poke a few holes into the bone side. Rub 1 cup of the jerk sauce all over the hens in a large bowl or pan. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium; prepare for direct and indirect grilling: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side. For a gas grill, turn off one of the burners after preheating. Remove the hens from the marinade, letting any excess drip off; place skin-side up on the cooler side of the grill (position the legs closer to the fire). Cover and cook until the hens are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Baste the hens with any extra jerk sauce, then turn them over to the direct-heat side of the grill; cook, uncovered, until the skin is dark brown and the meat is cooked through but still moist, 5 to 10 more minutes. (A thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read 160 degrees.) Set the hens aside for 5 minutes, then serve with the reserved jerk sauce.
• Photography by Con Poulos

Steps:

• To butterfly the hens, turn them breast side down and using poultry shears, cut down each side of the backbone and discard it. Turn the birds over and open them out flat, pressing down hard on the breastbone. Thread 2 skewers diagonally through each hen from the wings to the thigh bones.
• To make the marinade, skewer the chili peppers and garlic together and cook on a preheated medium-hot outdoor grill or under a broiler for 10 minutes, turning frequently until evenly browned. Scrape off and discard the skins from the peppers and chop the flesh coarsely. Put the flesh (and seed if you like the heat) into a blender. Add garlic and all the remaining marinade ingredients and blend to a puree. Pour the marinade over the hens and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Return them to room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.
• When ready to cook, remove the birds from their marinade and grill over preheated medium-hot coals for 12 minutes on each side (or until juices run clear), basting occasionally. Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes, then serve with corn salsa.

Steps:

• Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. With kitchen scissors, cut each hen in half along backbone from tail to neck.
• Brush hen halves with basil-flavored oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Insert barbecue meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of inside thigh muscle and does not touch bone.
• Place hen halves, skin side down, on grill rack. Cover and grill over medium heat 30 to 40 minutes, brushing occasionally with basil-flavored oil and turning once, until juice of hens is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F). Let stand loosely covered about 15 minutes before serving.
• While hens are grilling, make sauce. In 1-quart saucepan, heat all sauce ingredients except basil to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 25 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Stir in basil. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve warm with hens.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the oil and lemon juice until well blended. Stir in the garlic and pour the mixture into a large plastic storage bag. Add the hens. Squeeze out excess air, seal tightly, and massage to coat the meat all over. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours, turning once or twice. Preheat the broiler. Remove the hens from the marinade and place them skin side down on a broiler tray. Position 3 to 4 inches from the heat source, and broil for 13 minutes. Turn the hens over, season with salt and pepper, and broil until the birds are cooked through and the juices run clear, about 12 minutes.

Steps:

• Prepare grill.
• In a small saucepan melt butter with honey, chili powder, and cayenne. Remove pan from heat and stir in juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• Rinse and pat hen halves dry and season with salt. Grill hen halves, skin sides down, on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 5 minutes. Turn halves over with metal tongs and grill, basting with spice mixture, 20 minutes more. Grill halves, without basting, until cooked through, about 10 minutes more. (Alternatively, grill hen halves in an oiled, hot, well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to broil.
• With a mallet or meat pounder, flatten the hens. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Arrange the halves in one layer in a baking dish.
• Place the mustard, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in a small mixing bowl, and blend well with a wire whisk. Brush both sides of the hens with the mixture.
• Brush the hens with oil, and place skin side down in a baking dish. Place under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source, and cook for about 10 minutes, basting occasionally. Turn, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Baste often.
• Blend the pecans, scallions and sage. Sprinkle the hens with the mixture and the melted butter.
• Reduce heat to 400 degrees and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, basting occasionally, until the hens are nicely browned. Sprinkle with parsley.

Steps:

• mix all marinade ingredients together and place hens and marinade in a ziploc type bag. marinate overnight.
• remove from marinade and grill until done, discard marinade.