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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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The delicious sauce has the complex, aromatic flavors of a Thai curry, but is very easy to prepare, thanks to purchased curry paste (now sold in many supermarkets). Look for fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaveswhose beautiful fragrance is the signature of many Thai dishesat Asian markets. If unavailable, don't use dried ones; substitute grated lime peel instead. Goes great with: Long-grain rice cooked with a few cardamom pods and grated lemon peel and sautéed spinach. What to drink: Spätlese Riesling or Oregon Pinot Noir. Ingredients:
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or olive oil, divided |
2 teaspoons (about) thai red curry paste |
1 tablespoon tomato paste |
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk |
1 cup low-salt chicken broth |
2 5.95-ounce cans straw mushrooms, drained |
3 kaffir lime leaves or 2 teaspoons grated lime peel |
2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam) |
1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar |
6 cherry tomatoes |
2 1 1/4-pound cornish game hens, thawed if frozen, halved lengthwise, backbones removed |
fresh basil leaves |
small fresh or dried red chiles** (optional garnish) |
Directions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add curry paste and tomato paste and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add coconut milk, broth, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and brown sugar; bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Add cherry tomatoes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle hens with salt and pepper. Add hens to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer hens to 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour sauce over. Bake uncovered until hens are cooked through, about 35 minutes. Transfer hens to shallow serving bowl; tent with foil. Skim fat from sauce. Pour sauce into large skillet; boil 5 minutes. Pour sauce over hens. Garnish with basil and chiles, if desired.
3. *Sold in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.
4. **Use any type of small fresh or dried chiles you find in the produce section or spice section of the supermarket.
5. Test-kitchen tip: Curry pastes vary in strength and spiciness from brand to brand, so start by using one teaspoon if you prefer a milder sauce.
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