Baked Cornish game hens

serves 6
ingredients
150g/5oz butter, melted
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1⁄2 green pepper, seeded
and chopped
225g/8oz mushrooms, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh
basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoon chopped fresh
flat-leaf parsley
6 Cornish game hens
salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3.
• Put 100g/4oz of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, celery,
green pepper, mushrooms, garlic, basil and parsley. Gently sweat until
the vegetables are tender but not browned.
• Rinse the hens well and pat dry with kitchen paper. Season inside and
out with salt and pepper. Stuff each of them with equal amounts of the
vegetable mixture, and put them in a baking dish, breast side up.
• Drizzle with the remaining butter, cover and roast in the oven for
11⁄2 hours. Remove from the oven and rest, covered with foil, for a few
minutes, then serve hot.