Roasted Cornish Hens with Grapes and Rosemary
Another meal for two and this one's unbelievable! It's based off of a tried and true recipe from one of the first kitchens I worked in. I saw a bunch of grapes at the market and thought: "What could make that recipe better?" The answer, as it turns out, is our Balsamic! YOU HAVE to try this. The grapes get concentrated and sweet, the hens are crisp and juicy, it's pure awesomeness.
What you need
1 pound seedless red grapes
1 red onion, halved and then quartered
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
¼ cup Tessemae’s Balsamic Dressing
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Cornish hens (1- 1 ¼ lb each)
1 lemon, quartered
What to do
Heat your oven to 450. Separate the grapes from the stems. (For looks, you can leave some of the grapes in small bunches... just please don't try to eat the stems later!) On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the grapes, onion and half the rosemary with 2 tablespoons Balsamic. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and push to the sides of the pan.
Pat the hens dry and discard any giblet pouches from the cavity. Season them all over with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the rest of the rosemary and the lemon. Tuck the wing tips under the birds and place them on the pan with the grapes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons Balsamic.
Roast until the hens are golden brown and a thermometer registers 165 when inserted in the thigh, about 40 minutes. Rotate the pan once about halfway through for even browning. Serve everything drizzled with more Balsamic.