Stuffed Rock Cornish Game Hens With Rhubarb Sauce

As a lover of rhubarb in pies, this recipe caught my attention as I'd never heard of using rhubarb in a savory dish. I wasn't sure how it would taste, but it turned out delicious. I've also made this recipe with bone-in chicken breasts. When rhubarb isn't in season, I substitute frozen rhubarb, thawed.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  lbs  Cornish hens
•  salad oil
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 1  cup  chopped celery
• 8  ounces herb seasoned stuffing mix
• 1  teaspoon salt

• RHUBARB SAUCE

• 1 1⁄4 lbs rhubarb, cut up (or 2 cups frozen rhubarb)
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 cup sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Remove giblets and necks from hens. Rinse and drain well. Tuck neck skin of each hen under wings to secure it.
3. In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, in 1/4 cup hot salad oil, cook onion and celery until golden, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing mix as label directs; stir into onion mixture. Lightly spoon mixture into hens. Tie legs and tail of each hen together.
4. Brush hens generously with oil; sprinkle with salt. Place, breast side up, on rack in open roasting pan. Roast at 375°F for 1 1/4 hours or until a leg can be moved easily up and down.
5. Meanwhile, prepare Rhubarb Sauce. In 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat rhubarb, water, salt and cinnamon to boiling; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook 5-8 minutes for until rhubarb is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in sugar. Baste hens frequently with sauce during last 30 minutes of roasting. Remove strings. Serve with remaining sauce.