Joyce Goldstein's Cornish Hens With Apricots, Tomatoes and Spice

This sounds very interesting! I have a few of her cookbooks and she is an excellent cook. Have your butcher halve the hens if you are lazy like me. LOL You can use peanut oil instead of the chicken fat, but I want to try it with the chicken fat the first time I make it. Posted for ZWT 2010.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 12  tablespoons  schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) or 12  tablespoons  peanut oil
•  kosher salt, to taste
•  fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 4  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4  cups yellow onions, chopped
• 1  teaspoon clove
• 3  cups  canned diced plum tomatoes, with the juices reserved
• 3 1⁄2 cups  dried apricots, soaked in hot water for 1 hour and drained
• 2  cups  chicken stock or 2  cups water
• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. Heat 6 tablespoons schmaltz or peanut oil in a large saucepan.
2. Sprinkle the hens with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and brown.
3. In another saucepan heat the remaining chicken fat or peanut oil, add the onions and cook over low heat 5 minutes, or until the onions are transparent.
4. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons cinnamon and cloves and cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add about 1/2 cup reserved tomato liquid.
6. Puree half the soaked apricots in a food processor or blender, and coarsely chop the rest.
7. Add the pureed apricots, the diced tomatoes and 1 cup chicken stock to the onion mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.
8. Puree 2 cups of the onion mixture.
9. Return to the pan, add the remaining apricots, brown sugar and chicken stock and add enough liquid to make a medium-thick sauce.
10. In a large casserole place half the sauce.
11. Add hens and cover with remaining sauce.
12. Bake the poultry, covered, in a 350 degree preheated oven until done, about 30 to 40 minutes.
13. Let rest 5 minutes and enjoy!