This is good warm-weather food, served cold with a nice rice salad.
4 dried figs
½ cup port wine
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried
4 Cornish game hens, about 1 pound each
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 dried pears or apricots can be used
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place figs in a small heatproof bowl. Pour enough boiling water over figs to cover; let stand two minutes, then drain.
Return figs to bowl. Add port and rosemary; let steep 10 minutes.
Rinse hens and pat dry inside and out. Rub inside and out with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Place one pear and one fig into cavity of each hen, along with about 1 tablespoon port.
Cross bone ends of legs and tie together. Place birds in a small roasting pan and roast 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast 35 minutes longer, or until juices run clear when meatiest part of thigh is pierced. Serve with fruit from cavity of hens. Serves four.
