ROSATED GUINEA HEN

If you want a savory twist to the traditional holiday meal, Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden recommend roast guinea hen with apples, figs and prunes:

2 small guinea hens, about 2 lbs. each (see note)
1 1/4 cups walnut pieces
3 tablespoons fromage blanc or heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 small red apples
6 fresh figs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups pitted prunes

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash the birds, check that their insides are clean and clear, and dry them.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, coarsely chop the walnuts.

3. Place 2/3 of the chopped walnuts in a bowl and mix in the fromage blanc. Add the nutmeg and sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper. Stir to mix. Stuff the interior of the birds with this nut mixture. Place the birds in a roasting pan large enough to hold them and the fruits. Baste the birds with the chicken stock and vegetable oil. Place the birds in the oven for 15 minutes (or 25 minutes if you are roasting a large chicken).

4. Meanwhile, peel the apples, cut them in half, and core them. Rinse, dry, and quarter the figs. Set aside.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and surround the birds with the apple halves. Dot the apples with small pieces of butter. Return to the oven for 35 minutes (or 45 if you are roasting a large chicken). Baste the birds occasionally with the pan juices.

6. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and add the quartered figs, the prunes, and the rest of the chopped walnuts. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.

7. Serve each guest a portion of bird, fruit, and stuffing.

Serves: 6

Note: This delicious recipe also works beautifully with one roasting chicken, or several squabs or Cornish hens. Judge quantities by size. One 3-lb. guinea hen serves three or four. A 4- to 5-lb. roasting chicken can serve six. Squabs and Cornish hens are generally small enough that you need one per person.