Recipe: Apricot and Brown Rice Stuffing for Cornish Hens, Chicken or Capon

APRICOT AND BROWN RICE STUFFING FOR CORNISH HENS

6 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries*
1/2 cup chopped unblanched almonds
1 cup tart apples, diced 1/4-inch
2 cups cooked brown rice, short or long grain**
1 cup cooked wehani rice** (reddish-brown whole grain rice related to basmati)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and saute, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add the apricots, cherries, and almonds and saute, stirring, until the fruits are plump and the almonds are golden, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the apple and saute until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Add the rices, parsley, salt, cinnamon, and pepper.

Let the stuffing cool to room temperature before spooning into the birds and roasting. Stuffing can be baked separately, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

*Dried cherries add a sweet tart flavor and although expensive are well worth it. If the cherries are not available, dried cranberries or golden raisins can be substituted.

**There is a mixture of short-grain brown rice and Wehani in this stuffing, but you could use all brown rice, preferably short-grain, or any combination of rice (3-cups total) of white brown, long, or short grain -- even wild.

Makes about 5 cups, enough to stuff four Cornish hens or one large chicken or capon
Source: Rice, The Amazing Grain by Marie Simmons