Honey Lacquered Game Hens

 

I have been making this recipe for around 40 years but now I don't marinate it any more.  I roast the chickens according to package instruction, thicken the sauce and pour it on after the chicken is cooked.

Strawberries is on Angel food cake.  The potato salad was store bought.

HONEY LACQUERED GAME HENS II

2 game hens

1/4 C. triple sec

1 C. orange juice

1/3 C. soy sauce

3 inch strip orange zest

1/3 C. honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C. dry vermouth

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 C. sesame oil

1/2 inch thin slice of ginger

1/4 tsp. sesame salt

1 garlic clove, split and peeled

2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in water to make a paste

3 green onions  

Mix all ingredients except cornstarch and hens and bring to a boil. Simmer 5-10 minutes, cool. Reserve some marinade for sauce. Place in plastic bag with birds and marinate overnight. Remove wing tips and cover drumstick ends with foil to prevent burning.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place birds in shallow baking pan and pour marinade over. Bake 1 hour or according to package directions, basting hens every 10 to 15 minutes. Tent with foil if browning too much.  Thicken reserved marinate with cornstarch.  Serve with birds, garnish with orange peel.