Smoked Cornish Game Hens

Since salmon takes such a short time to cook on the grill, after I made the salmon last Friday I moved the coals down into the smoker portion and put on some Cornish Game Hens and a chicken to smoke.  I brined them overnight and smoked them for about 4 1/2 hours using apple wood.  They were nice and moist and smokey. I served them with a rice pilaf and a salad with Creamy Lime Cilantro Dressing posted previously.  I tweaked that recipe a little.  By processing the cilantro with the milk before adding the other ingredients, you'll get a great green color and a lot of cilantro flavor. If you make the rice pilaf, definitely use the golden raisins to garnish, they really punch up the flavor.

Rice Pilaf

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 onion, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, minced

2 pinches kosher salt

2 cups long grain rice

2 3/4 cups chicken broth

2 strips orange zest

½ teaspoon tumeric

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

Golden raisins for garnish

In a heavy, wide, lidded pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, red pepper, and kosher salt. Sweat the onions and peppers until aromatic, stirring constantly. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring until rice smells nutty. Add chicken broth, orange zest, tumeric and water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Stir once, then place lid on pan and lower heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.  Add peas during last 5 minutes of cooking.  Remove lid from rice fluff with a fork and turn out onto a platter. Add raisins to garnish .

Brine

Six cups water
2 cups apple juice
1/3 cup canning salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
Combine the brine ingredients and add the hens.  Weight down the hens so they are submerged and refrigerate over night.  Remove from brine and pat dry, rub with olive oil and place on grill and smoke for 3 to 4 hours.  Allow the birds to rest for 1/2 hour before serving