3 Rock cornish hens
4 Cloveds garlic, minced
1 tb Salt
1 ts Finely minced ginger root
1 ts Fresh coriander or cilantro
1/2 ts Ground black pepper
1/4 ts Tumeric
1 pn Saffron
1 c Hot water
3 Cinnamon sticks, broken
1/4 c Butter cut into pieces
1 lg Onion, chopped
1 c Minced fresh parsley
3 tb Butter
1 1/2 c Slivered blanched almonds
1/4 c Powdered sugar
2 ts Ground cinnamon
3 tb Lemon juice
6 Eggs, beaten until frothy
4 Plain phyllo sheets
8 Buttered phyllo sheets
Additional powdered sugar
-and cinnamon for topping
This one is from the Dinah Shore Cookbook, and is VERY cinnamony. Although
I haven’t tried this particular recipe, her book is very reliable, and she
talks about the testing all the time. I’ve had it in restaurants…it is
quite decadent and delicious. It is on the sweet side, and rich. I don’t
remember the actual Moroccan name for it though. She calls it Moroccan
Chicken Pie. She also calls for cornish hens…Chicken would do just as
well I think, even leftover chicken, seasoned with some of the seasonings
she calls for cooking the hens with, and just simmered in some water with
the seasonings for a few minutes to make the broth.
Wash hens well and pat try inside and out. Rub well inside and out with
garlic and salt. Place hens in heavy pan to fit snugly. Combine ginger,
coriander, pepper, tumeric, saffron and hot water and pour over hens. Add
enough water to cover hens. Sprinkle cinnamon pieces on top along with
butter, onions and parsley. Simmer over low heat 1 hour or until tender.
Cool in stock. Remove hens, reserving stock and shred meat.
In skillet, brown meat and almonds in 3 tbs butter. REmove meat and almonds
withn a slotted spoon and cool. Combine with powdered sugar and cinnamon
and set aside.
Strain stock and cook over medium high heat until reduced to 1 1/2 cups.
Lower heat and add lemon juice. This much of recipe may be done ahead.
Gently warm 1 1/2 cups stock; bring to a simmer and gradually beat in eggs.
Cook, stirring constantly, 10 minutes or until eggs are cooked to cusard
consistency. Do not allow to scramble.
Preheat oven to 400. “Fluff” 4 plain phyllo sheets on cookie sheet, as if
they were clouds. Bake at 400 for 1 minutes or until they are very lightly
browned. Set aside.
Assembly:
Keep phyllo dough wrapped in damp — not wet– tea towel until ready to
use. Arrange bbuttered phylo sheets in 12 inch iron skillet, letting edges
hang over sides. Sprinkle with meat and almond mixture. Cover with half of
egg mixture. Top with 2 “fluffy” phylo sheets. Cover with rest of meat
mixture. Top with other 2 “fluffy” phyllo sheets and then with remaining
egg mixture. Fold edges of buttered phyllo sheets over pie and brush with
additional melted butter. Arrange 2 remaining buttered phyllo sheets on
top, tucking edges under pie to enclose it completely. Brush with more
melted butter and bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Shake
pan lightly to loosen edges of pie and invert on a cookie sheet or
ovenproof platter. Bake 10 minutes more or until golden brown. Sprinkle
lavishly with additional powdered sugar and ground cinnamon. Serve
immediately.
Yields
1 Servings