Maple Glazed Game Birds
Why I Love This Recipe
I use Game Hens mostly, but Quail would likely do well, too, though it would need to roast for only about 1/2 as long. This was one of my daughter's fav dishes when she was younger. The apple didn't fall far from the tree, so she's a little twisted and got a kick out of saying we were having BIRDS for supper. See, we kept birds- parakeets, cockatiels, canaries, etc.... I think she relished the parallel and very thin distinction.
Ingredients You'll Need
4 Game hens, rinsed and patted dry, wingtips trimmed
Olive oil
1/4c Herbs de Provence
Salt & Black pepper
1 Orange, quartered
1/4c real Maple syrup
1/8c Olive Oil
1/4stick melted butter
splash or three Champagne vinegar
Directions
Preheat oven to 450d F.
Massage hens with olive oil so they are complete coated.
Rub well w/Herbs de Provence and salt & pepper, inside & out.
Stuff orange quarter in cavity of each.
Place breast-up in roasting pan.
Whisk together Maple syrup, oil, butter and vinegar, and any remaining Herbs de Provence.
Drizzle about 1/2 of mixture over birds, place in center of oven and roast 12min, basting once w/remaining sauce and any drippings from pan using basting brush.
Then, turn birds breast-down, and continue roasting & basting approx another 10+min til done (use meat thermometer if you're unsure, but BE CAREFUL not to overcook).
Remove from oven and rest before serving.
I serve them halved, on a bed of white & wild rice.
