Roasted Cornish Hen, Wild Rice Stuffing with Mushrooms and Pecans and Glazed Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 cup Wild Rice (Rinsed thoroughly)
• 4 cup Vegetable Broth (Low sodium)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 lb Cremini Mushrooms (Cleaned and sliced)
• 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 large Yellow Onion (Finely chopped)
• 2 stalks Celery (Finely chopped)
• 4 cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 1 cup Pecans (Roughly chopped)
• 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme (Chopped)
• 1 tbsp Fresh Sage (Chopped)
• 0.25 cup Fresh Parsley (Chopped, plus more for garnish)
• 1 tsp Salt (Or to taste)
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper (Freshly ground, or to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the Wild Rice

   • Rinse the wild rice under cold running water until the water runs clear.
   • In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over high heat.
   • Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 45-55 minutes, or until the grains are tender and have split open.
   • Drain any excess liquid and fluff the rice with a fork. Set aside.
2. 2

   Toast Pecans and Sauté Mushrooms

   • While the rice is cooking, heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
   • Add the chopped pecans to the dry skillet and toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Immediately remove from the skillet and set aside.
   • Add the olive oil to the same skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Add the mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding).
   • Cook the mushrooms without stirring for 3-4 minutes until they are well-browned on one side. Stir and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden and tender. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. 3

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Carrots (Peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 0.25 cup Light Brown Sugar (Packed)
• 2 tbsp Orange Juice (Freshly squeezed is best)
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 0.25 tsp Black Pepper (Freshly ground)
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley (Finely chopped, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the Carrots

   • Place the sliced carrots in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by about 1 inch.
   • Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the carrots are tender-crisp (easily pierced with a fork but still have a slight bite).
   • Drain the carrots thoroughly in a colander and set aside.
2. 2

   Prepare the Glaze

   • While the carrots are cooking, melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet or pan over medium heat.
   • Once melted, stir in the packed light brown sugar, orange juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
3. 3

   Thicken the Glaze

   • Continue to cook the glaze, stirring constantly with a whisk or spatula, for about 2-3 minutes.
   • The sugar should completely dissolve, and the glaze will begin to bubble and thicken slightly.
4. 4

   Glaze the Carrots

   • Add the drained carrots to the skillet with the hot glaze.
   • Gently toss and stir to coat all the carrot slices evenly.
   • Continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze has thickened further and clings beautifully to the carrots.
5. 5

   Garnish and Serve

   • Remove the skillet from the heat.
   • Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the carrots and give them one final toss.
   • Serve immediately while warm.