Rinse the game hens under running water. Pat dry and cut them in half lengthwise (kitchen scissors work fine).
Arrange orange slices in bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Top with game hens.
Mix 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped garlic and 1 1/4 teaspoons cumin in bowl. Rub mixture all over hens. Wash your hands well with soap and hot water.
Whisk together port, sherry, oil, vinegar, and honey in small bowl. Taste it to see if the mixture is to your taste, then if it is, pour over hens. (There is quite a difference between the taste of balsamic vinegar – which is sweet – and red wine vinegar, so if you use wine vinegar you’ll definitely want to taste the mixture and adjust the amount of honey to your preference before pouring it over the hens.).
Tuck dates and olives between hens and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight, turning hens once. (I’ve made this recipe beginning in the morning and marinated it 6-8 hrs during the day, too, and it was still delicious.).
Remove hens from refrigerator and place on counter, covered, for at least 30 minutes. (You don’t want to put a chilled baking dish straight into a preheated oven.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Turn the hens skin side up, then bake hens with marinade, dates and olives until hens are cooked through, basting occasionally, about 40 minutes.
Transfer hens, dates and olives to serving platter. Discard orange slices. Pour the pan juices into a heavy small saucepan.
Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin and 1 tsp butter and simmer until reduced to about half, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon some sauce over hens. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro.
Serve, passing remaining sauce separately in a gravy or sauce bowl.
Note: when I first made this recipe, I didn't have fresh cilantro on hand, and couldn't even find dried in our herb stash, which surprised me. Mike collects herbs and spices, and we have a huge collection in the pantry. (I call him Condiment Man.) I had a bunch of a nice Italian dried herb mix (basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage), so used that instead. I know it's not really an equivalent to cilantro, but it smelled wonderful anyhow and it tasted great, too. I also add lots more green olives and dates, which the recipe reflects :)
Note #2: if you want/need to serve more than two people, you can use the above marinade for up to 6 hens, then you’ll need to begin adding more ingredients.

Kitchen-Friendly View

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving Per 100 g

Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories	2706.4 Kcal (11331 kJ)
Calories from fat	356.05 Kcal
		% Daily Value*
Total Fat	39.56g	61%
Cholesterol	222.57mg	74%
Sodium	390.54mg	16%
Potassium	2712.34mg	58%
Total Carbs	292.71g	98%
Sugars	197.35g	789%
Dietary Fiber	19.48g	78%
Protein	62.98g	126%
Vitamin C	55.4mg	92%
Iron	6.4mg	36%
Calcium	273.4mg	27%

Amount Per 100 g
Calories	294.61 Kcal (1233 kJ)
Calories from fat	38.76 Kcal
		% Daily Value*
Total Fat	4.31g	61%
Cholesterol	24.23mg	74%
Sodium	42.51mg	16%
Potassium	295.25mg	58%
Total Carbs	31.86g	98%
Sugars	21.48g	789%
Dietary Fiber	2.12g	78%
Protein	6.86g	126%
Vitamin C	6mg	92%
Iron	0.7mg	36%
Calcium	29.8mg	27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

salty
savory
bitter
sweet

Search recipes
by ingredients

Construct & Analyze
Your Recipe

Analyze

Try this similar recipes

Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Mustard

Olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard and 6 more..
Hot Moroccan Chicken Salad

Water, Couscous, Salt, divided, Olive oil and 13 more..
Roast Pumpkin & Feta Salad

Butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed, Olive oil, Cinnamon and 13 more..
Balsamic-Honey Roasted Root Vegetables

Carrots, unpeeled, in 3/4 inch slices and 15 more..
Chicken Stew with Green Olives

No-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained and 14 more..
Black Bean Salsa

Black beans, drained and rinsed well, Frozen corn and 10 more..
Roasted Vegetable Black Bean Salsa

Black beans, drained and rinsed well, Frozen corn and 11 more..
Moroccan Cornish Hens

Oranges, sliced, Whole pitted dates (about 8 oz) and 10 more..
Balsamic Glazed Roasted Potato Salad

Olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, Honey, Paprika and 9 more..

Recipe Tags

Weightwatchers Points

56.6

Points
46

PointsPlus

Good Points

saturated fat free,
low sodium

Bad Points

High in Sugar

Also Try

Cornish Game Hens
Cornish Game Hens Oriental

Cornish hens (thawed, if frozen ), Soy sauce and 5 more..
Cornish Game Hens With Herbs

Garlic, peeled, Lemon wedges and 14 more..
Cornish Game Hens With Peach Glaze

Cornish hens, Salt, Butter, Salt and pepper, Basil and 2 more..
Cornish Game Hens with Rice Stuffing

Butter, Almonds, Chopped onion, Uncooked wild rice, Water and 5 more..
Cornish Game Hens With Sage and Garlic

Cornish hens, split into halves, Butter, softened and 5 more..
Cornish Game Hens With Crabmeat Stuffing

Rock cornish game hens, Vegetable oil and 13 more..
Cornish Game Hens With Grapes in Vermouth

Cornish hens (about 1 lb ea, washed & patted dry) and 10 more..
Cornish Game Hens With Curry Apricot Glaze

Cornish hen , halved lengthwise, Apricot jam and 6 more..
Cornish Game Hens With Garlic Cloves and Onion

Cornish hens, Garlic cloves, peeled and ends cut and 2 more..