Cornish hens with prunes & cognac

Yield: 4 Servings
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4 Cornish hens      1/4 ts Salt Freshly ground black pepper
2 tb Butter; cut into small -pieces      1/4 c Cognac or other brandy
1 c ;water      24 Pitted prunes
1 tb Fresh parsley; chopped

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Twist the wings of each cornish hen behind its back and tie the legs together. Put the hens breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Sprinkle the hens with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Dot with the butter. Roast the hens until just done 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile put the cognac water and prunes in a small saucepan bring to a simmer cover remove from the heat and let steep while the hens cook. When the hens are done transfer them to a large plate and put in a warm spot. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan. Set the pan over moderate heat and add the prune mixture the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits. Continue boiling until the liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup about 8 minutes. Add the parsley. Remove the strings from the birds. Spoon the prunes and sauce over the hens. Shared and MM by Judi M. Phelps. jphelps@shell.portal.com or jphelps@best.com