While looking for recipes that use pomegranate molasses, I came across several chicken recipes. Since I don’t eat chicken, I decided to use Cornish game hens. Fortuitously my local grocery store had them on sale so I picked up two of them. Anyone familiar with this blog knows I love to use fruit in savory dishes so to continue along that path, I stuffed the game hens with apricot and orange slices and garlic and used the fruit along with the juices from the roasting pan to make a sweet and sour sauce that I served over rice. The game hens were moist, sweet and a little tart with a strong flavor of fruit and garlic. This recipe would work well with chicken and other birds, too. I may have to try it with duck in the future. 🙂

2 Cornish game hens
1 apricot, sliced
1 naval orange, sliced
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup water
3 Tbs sour pomegranate molasses
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350* F. Place a rack in a roasting pan and pour water in the bottom of the pan. Rinse Cornish game hens in cool water and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper inside and out. Stuff the cavities of the birds with the garlic, apricot and orange slices. Set the game hens on the rack, breast side up. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup orange juice, pomegranate molasses and olive oil. Brush a quarter of the liquid over the birds and put them in the oven. Roast for an hour and a fifteen minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the breast meat reaches 180* F, basting every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest while you prepare the sauce. Pour off the dripping from the roasting pan into a small saucepot. Add thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Remove the fruit from inside the birds and add to the saucepot. Bring to a low simmer. Make a cornstarch slurry with the cornstarch and last 1/4 cup of orange juice. Pour into the saucepot and stir continuously until it’s thickened. Remove from heat and strain through a small sieve to remove the garlic and fruits. Serve sauce along with the Cornish game hens, rice and steamed vegetables.