ROAST GAME HENS WITH APRICOT MARSALA SAUCE

4 Cornish game hens, rinsed and patted dry
4 Tbsp. sweet butter
3 large bay leaves
1 small bunch fresh thyme (about 1.1/2 inches diameter)
1/2 tsp. allspice berries
1 tsp. black peppercorns
fine sea salt
freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup Marsala
1/2 cup dried apricots
1.1/2 cups dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (from bunch, see above)
1 tsp. finely minced orange zest
1 Tbsp. lightly toasted, coarsely chopped almonds

Oven - 475 degrees.
Season the inside cavity of each hen with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 Tbsp. piece of butter, 1/2 large bay leaf and a couple sprigs of thyme. Melt remaining butter and brush the skins with it, then season all over with salt and pepper.

Set on a rack over a baking sheet or shallow roasting pan and allow to come to room temperature for 15 minutes or so while oven heats. Roast on the top shelf for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 425 degrees and continue roasting another 25 minutes until birds are done.

Make sauce - strip thyme leaves off the stems of the remaining sprigs and set leaves aside. Place stems along with remaining bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns in a small piece of cheesecloth or paper coffee filter and tie securely. Place herb bundle in a 1 quart saucepan along with dried apricots, Marsala, and wine. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until apricots are tender.

In a 2-quart saucepan, bring stock to a boil and reduce to 3/4 cup. Strain apricots out of the first pan, returning liquid and herb bundle to smaller saucepan.

Return Marsala-wine saucepan to stove and reduce to 1/2 cup. Add shallots and cook another 10 minutes until wilted and tender. Remove from heat and add reduced stock and reserved chopped apricots. Remove herb bundle squeezing out all juices and discard. Keep warm until hens are ready.

Finely chop reserved thyme leaves and measure 1 teaspoon. Combine with chopped parsley, nuts and orange zest.

When hens are done, remove from oven and allow to rest on rack for 10 minutes before serving. Pour off any juices from pan (deglaze with a little water if caramelized) and degrease. Add juices to sauce. Then taste sauce for seasoning. Serve warm hens on mashed potatoes with some chopped chives added to it or soft polenta surrounded by sauteed green beans. Ladle warm sauce over birds and sprinkle generously with herb-nut mixture.

Use your favorite recipes for mashed potatoes preferably with chopped chives and also for sauteed green beans.