Bacon-Wrapped Cornish Hens with Corn Couscous

Recipe Directions

1 Cornish game hen, defrosted if frozen
2 slices uncooked bacon
1 teaspoon dried Herbes de Provence*
2/3 cup plain couscous *
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 peeled baby carrots (for 1/3 cup thin slices)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
2/3 cup frozen sweet, white corn kernels

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a roasting pan* with cooking oil spray or line with nonstick foil. Wash game hen and dry inside and out with paper towels. Place herb mix in hen cavity and shake to coat evenly. Holding legs together, tie 1 slice of bacon around leg portion of hen to hold them together. Tuck wings under.

Place hen, breast down, in pan. Roast 1 hour or until an instant read thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165 to 180 degrees F, depending on personal preference.

While the hen roasts, prepare couscous according to package directions in a 2-quart* or larger pot with lid. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a l1-inch skillet. Add the carrots, onion and pepper to skillet. Cook until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. If necessary, rinse corn in a colander to remove any ice crystals, shaking to remove as much water as possible. Add corn to skillet, and stir and toss to thaw corn and heat through, about 2 more minutes. Set aside.

When couscous is done, fluff with a fork and stir in all vegetables. Cook remaining bacon slice in microwave until crisp, about 45 seconds. Crumble and add to couscous. Cover pilaf and set pan aside.*

When hens are done, remove from oven. Using kitchen shears, cut down spine of hen and separate into 2 halves. To serve, spread half of each plate with a generous portion of pilaf. Arrange 1 hen half to partially overlap couscous, and serve.

* Cooking Notes

Use equal parts of dried rosemary, marjoram, thyme and sage if you can’t find the Herbes de Provence.

Plain couscous comes in a box, bag or bulk. You need about 1/3 dry for each serving, so cook the needed amount for your party. Keep leftovers in sealed container in a cool, dry place for future use.

Recipe can be easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled. Adjust size of baking pan according to number of hens – 4 will roast nicely in a 9 X 13-inch pan. For even roasting, make sure hens have enough room without touching sides of pan or each other.

The larger pot is needed to accommodate the vegetables added after couscous steams.

Warm couscous briefly over low heat or in the microwave just before hens are served, if necessary.