Watch Cooking Channel

Stuffed Guinea Hen

Photo: Stuffed Guinea Hen

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 30 min
Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 10 min
Cook: 50 min
 
YIELD: 4 servings
LEVEL: Difficult

ingredients

  • 2 (2-pound) guinea hens, boned
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dried baguette bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried figs
  • 3 tablespoons Cognac
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 6 thin slices prosciutto, or bacon
  • Watercress Salad, for serving, recipe follows
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Handful slivered almonds, toasted
  • 2 handfuls small green grapes
recipe tools

    • COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

        

    Sign in

    All fields are required.

    E-mail Address:

    Password:

    Remember me on this computer

    Signing in

    Please enter your email address and we will send your password

    E-mail Address

    Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

    Not a member?

    Sign up for My Cooking Channel to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

    It's free and easy.

  • Print Recipe

Directions

To prepare the hens: Remove the dark meat from the legs and chop it very finely. Lay the main part of each bird flat, skin-side down. There will be a rough rectangle of skin with the two breasts and their smaller fillets attached at the top. Remove one small fillet and lay it between the breasts to fill the indentation. Use the other to fill any other gaps. Lay a piece of plastic over top, and pound the whole flat. Remove the plastic. Push the meat around a little, if you need to, to achieve and even square of white meat, roughly centered on the skin. Season the hens with salt, and pepper.

To make the stuffing: Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter, and saute the onion until soft. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Remove the onion mixture to a bowl. Heat the remaining butter in the pan, and toast the bread crumbs. Add them to the onions. Stir in the figs, Cognac, and thyme. Season the mixture with salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lay the prosciutto slices, slightly overlapping, on a piece of foil. Lay 1 bird on top, and season with salt, and pepper. Spread over the half the stuffing, and then roll into a log. Wrap in foil, twisting the ends to make a tight cylinder. Repeat with the other hen. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and return to the oven 10 minutes longer. Remove. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing to serve with Watercress Salad.

In a medium bowl, toss the greens with the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, to taste. Arrange on a serving platter and scatter over the almonds and grapes. Serve.

COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

    

Sign in

All fields are required.

E-mail Address:

Password:

Remember me on this computer

Signing in

Please enter your email address and we will send your password

E-mail Address

Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

Not a member?

Sign up for My Cooking Channel to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

It's free and easy.

Review This Recipe

You must be logged in to review this recipe.

or Sign Up to Review

Advertisement

On TV

*ALL TIMES EASTERN
ON AIR
NOW
TONIGHT
10:00
PM

what's hot

Tripping Out with Alie & Georgia
Tripping Out with Alie & Georgia Host: Alie Ward & Georgia Hardstark

Get Cooking Channel on your TV.

Learn How