Hoisin Barbecued Game Hens With Stir Fried Vegetables

This makes a flavorful, home-made hoisin marinade/sauce. I'm sure it could be used for more than just game hens. Naturally, you should adjust the vegetable choices to suit your family. I made extra marinade when I made this to have some for serving. From The Wine Lover's Cookbook by Sid Goldstein. Prep time includes marination time.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 3-6

Ingredients

• 3  Cornish hens

• Marinade

• 1⁄2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup mirin or 1⁄4 cup  sweet sake or 1⁄4 cup riesling wine or 1⁄4 cup  other sweet wine
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 2  tablespoons  rice wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon fermented black beans (rinsed and chopped)
• 2  teaspoons  sesame chili oil (I used half sesame oil, half chili oil)
• 2  teaspoons lime juice
• 3  garlic cloves, chopped
• 2  tablespoons ground ginger
• 1⁄3 cup  chopped cilantro

• Vegetables

• 3  tablespoons  oil
• 1  cup  sliced onion
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  peeled  minced ginger
• 1  cup  thinly chopped carrot
• 1⁄2 cup  diced celery
• 3⁄4 cup  julienned red bell pepper
• 3⁄4 cup  julienned yellow bell pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  thinly chopped green cabbage
• 8  ounces bok choy, ends trimmed and sliced horizontally
• 2  teaspoons five-spice powder
• 3  tablespoons  reduced salt soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup  chicken stock
• 1  tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

1. Remove neck and giblets from hens and rinse them and pat dry. Halve hens by cutting firmly through the breast and backbone with a sharp knife. Pound each half with the palm of your hand to flatten the hens.
2. Marinade:
3. In a medium saute pan or skillet, combine all marinade ingredients and simmer 7-8 minutes. Cool in refrigerator or freezer. In a large, resealable plastic bag, marinate hens for 2-3 hours. Remove hens from marinade; reserve marinade.
4. Prepare a charcoal fire. When coals are very hot but not flaming, spearate them to the sides of the grill so the hens can cook in the middle by indirect heat. The coals should be hot enough to cook for one hour, but not so hot as to burn the honey in the marinade. For a gas grill, heat grill and turn flames to low.
5. Place hens on grill skin side down and cook, covered, about 25 minutes, basting with marinade.
6. Turn and continue to cook and baste for 20-25 minutes, or till juices run clear (I don't think mine took quite that long).
7. Remove from grill and keep warm.
8. In a large saute pan or wok, heat oil over high heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, peppers, bok choy and five spice powder.
9. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, tossing constantly.
10. Add soy sauce, stock and brown sugar and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes more. Do not overcook.
11. To serve, divide vegetables evenly on plates and top with game hen halves.
12. If you have marinade left over and want to use it drizzle over the dish, place marinade in a saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.