Cornish Hens with Corn-Chorizo Stuffing

This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.

They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.

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Ingredients:

1 tsp oil
4 Cornish hens, skinless
1 Tbsp ancho chili powder
3 1/4 oz chorizo, diced
2 Tbsp defatted chicken broth
2 cups defatted chicken broth
6 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cups carrot, diced
1 poblano chili pepper core
3 tsp chopped herbs (thyme, sage, cilantro)
6 1/2 cups cornbread crumbled
freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

For the cornbread: Use two 8.5-oz. packages corn muffin mix. Prepare with 1/4 cup egg substitute and 1/3 cup skim milk. Bake in 8 x 8-inch pans for 20 minutes. Cool.

Set oven to 450°F. Heat 1 tsp oil in a roasting pan. Place hens in roasting pan and dust with ancho pepper. Roast 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 350°F. Do not remove.

While hens are roasting, brown chorizo in a dry medium saute pan. Add 2 TBSP broth, garlic, celery, onion, carrot, and diced poblano. Saute 3 minutes.

Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add herbs, cornbread and 2 cups broth. Mix well. Bake in 13 x 9-in. pan for 25 minutes. While hens continue to bake.

Remove cornbread and hens from oven. Halve hens and serve each half with 1 cup stuffing and Cranberry-Mango Relish.

Serves 8.

Bobby Flay and Holly McCord.