- 1 pound Rock Cornish game hen
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 2 tablespoons Safeway SELECT Verdi Olive Oil
- 3 cups 1-inch chunks Sour Dough Bread
- 1/2 cup canned chopped Italian-style tomatoes in juice
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 small shallot, slivered
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
- Salt and fresh-ground pepper
- Fresh basil sprigs (optional)
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Reserve game hen neck and giblets for other uses. With poultry shears or a sharp knife, split hen in half, cutting along the backbone and breastbone. Rinse hen halves and pat dry.
- Place hen halves, skin side up, in a shallow 7- by 11-inch baking pan. In a small bowl, mix garlic, marjoram, and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Brush mixture over all surfaces of the hen halves. Bake in lower third of a oven until meat near thighbone is no longer pink; cut to test (about 25 minutes).
- Meanwhile, in a 9-inch-square baking pan, mix bread chunks and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Put in oven and bake, stirring once, until bread is golden and slightly crisp to the touch (about 8 minutes). Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, vinegar, shallot, and dried basil, if using. (If using fresh basil, add later, as directed below.)
- To tomato mixture, add toasted bread cubes and stir gently to coat evenly. Return mixture to pan, then return to oven. Continue to bake until dressing is deep golden brown (about 10 more minutes). Keep warm until hen is done.
- To serve, place hen halves on a warm serving platter. Pour pan juices into hot bread dressing, then add chopped fresh basil and mix lightly; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon dressing alongside hen. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.