Orange Zinfandel Cornish Hens

Perfect for a holiday or any special occasion! I usually make this on the first night of Rosh Hashana. It’s nice to incorporate sweetness into the food on that holiday since we are blessing each other with the hope of having a sweet New Year. Duck and regular chicken parts work well here too. This dish is easy but impressive. My guests always appreciate the extra thought that went into jazzing up plain old chicken. That feeling alone sets the mood for a festive occasion; time, attention, effort, and love.

Ingredients:

Four Cornish hens, or one per person (I always get extra; I never get one per person but most normal people do). Feel free to double the marinade out the gate, in case you need more and want to have it ready.

One cup red Zinfandel or other hearty red wine.

One cup fresh orange juice.

A third of a cup of chopped shallots.

1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped.

1 tbsp fresh sage finely chopped.

Zest of one orange

Three cups homemade chicken stock.

Half a teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water.

Three tbsp margarine.

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk the wine, juice, shallots, herbs, and zest. Pour a cup of this mixture into a baking dish.  Whisk in oil to make a marinade. Cover and refrigerate the remaining wine mixture. Place hens or chicken parts in the baking dish, turning to coat in the marinade. Refrigerate one to four hours, turning occasionally. When ready for the oven, bake uncovered on 350 for an hour and fifteen minutes. I like to broil this on the skin side to crisp it up a little, but that will be quick so watch and be ready to remove after maybe a minute or two. We want the skin crisp but not burned.

Take the remaining wine mixture. Combine with stock over high heat. Cook on stovetop about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced, till about a cup. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and boil until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add margarine while whisking to combine, one tbsp at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm on the lowest flame, covered. This yields a delicious sauce for the chicken.