Title: Sep-dinner: roasted cornish hens - shiitake b
 Categories: Poultry, Main dish, Canadian, Mushrooms, Onion
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
    1/4 c  Butter
      2 c  Shiitake mushrooms, thinly
           -sliced
      1    Leek, white part only,
           -thinly sliced
      1    Garlic clove, minced
      5 c  French bread, cut
           -in 3/4-inch pieces
    3/4 c  Whipping cream
    1/2 c  Fresh basil, packed, chopped
    1/4 c  Sherry
      1    Egg, beaten
      6    Cornish hens
    1/4 c  Butter, melted
    1/4 ts Salt
    1/4 ts Pepper

MMMMM---------------------------SAUCE--------------------------------
      2    Shallots, minced
           -or green onions
      1    Garlic clove, minced
      4 ts All-purpose flour
  1 1/2 c  Chicken stock
    1/4 c  Sherry
 
  In skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook mushrooms, leek and
  garlic for 3 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
  
  Meanwhile, stir together bread, cream, basil, sherry and egg; add to
  cooled mushroom mixture.
  
  Using kitchen shears, remove backbones from hens by cutting along each
  side. Bend legs back to sever joints. Ease boning knife between ribs
  and meat. Holding bones with left hand, use short strokes to cut meat
  from rib cage of each Cornish hen. Using kitchen shears, snip rib
  cage free from body at collarbone.
  
  Lay hens, skin side down, on work surface; mound 1/2 cup bread
  mixture in centre of each breast. Shape hen into original shape to
  enclose stuffing. Holding skin together with 1 hand, secure with
  poultry pin. Plump birds to form round shape; fold wings underneath
  and tie legs together.
  
  Place hens on rack in roasting pan; brush with melted butter.
  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in 375F 190C oven for about 45-55
  minutes or just until juices run clear when hens are pierced.
  Transfer hens to warm platter; tent with foil.
  
  Sauce: In roasting pan, bring cooking juices to boil over medium-high
  heat. Add shallots and garlic; simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes or
  until softened. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or
  until thickened. Whisk in chicken stock and sherry; bring to boil.
  simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce coats back of spoon. Strain
  sauce; serve with Cornish hens.