Saffron Bulgur Wheat With Baked Game Hen
by
Derek Farwagi
Equipment
- small baking tray, oven proof dish or cast iron skillet.
- a quart pot to soak the bulgur wheat
- a small frying pan to sauté the shallots
Ingredients
The game hens
- 1 game hen
- 1 large red onion
- 1 orange
- 2 tbsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste
The bulgur wheat
- 1 cup coarse bulgur wheat
- A fistful of crushed vermicelli.
- 1 cups water or chicken stock
- 2 shallots
- A handful of raisins (either golden or red raisins).
- A pinch of saffron
- 2 tbsp olive to drizzle on hen and slices before baking
Instructions
The game hens
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Slice the red onions in 1/4" slices.
- Cut the orange in half. Thinly slice one half (about 1/8" so the peel is thin enough to caramelizes and becomes edible). Squeeze the juice of the other half in a small bowl.
- Stuff the hen with a few slices of red onions and oranges.
- Spread remaining onion and orange slices in a foil lined baking tray, oven proof dish or cast iron skillet
- Pat the hens dry. Salt and pepper both sides and place over the onions and oranges. In that way the juices will drip onto the slices.
- Mix the orange juice and honey. This is your basting liquid.
- Drizzle a little oilve oil and bake for about 40 minutes, basting frequently.
- When the hen is cooked remove from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
The bulgur wheat
- Bring 2+ cups of water to boil.
- While the water is heating up, sauté the shallots with 1 tbsp olive oil on a medium heat till softened - about 5 minutes. Set aside in a small bowl.
- Wipe the pan, add 1tbsp olive oil and toast the vermicelli. Set aside.
- In a small cup or bowl, soak the saffron in 2 tbsp boiling water. Set aside
- Rinse the bulgur wheat then add it to boiling water. Add the onions, raisins, vermicelli and saffron and salt to taste, mix and cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, cover pot and let the mixture soak for about 20 minutes.
- Test for doneness. The wheat should still have a slight "al denté" texture to it. If it needs more time, add a little more water and put back on a low fire.
Serve the dish
- Cut the hen in half using kitchen scissors.
- Make a bed of bulgur wheat on each plate and place half a hen on that.
- Add a few slices of cooked onion and orange peel to each portion and serve.