• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 Cornish game hens, about 1 1/2 pounds each
• 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon herbes de provence seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked pepper

Directions

Mix the salt, lemon juice and two quarts of water in a one gallon zip lock bag. Place the game hens in the bag and marinade at least four hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove game hens from the refrigerator, drain and pat dry.

Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat and brown the sausage. Let cool.

Rinse the wild rice and place in a heavy saucepan with 2 ½ cups of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to boil and reduce to low. Simmer covered for about 30 minutes or until tender. (Wild rice has different preparation times – cooking times will vary. Simmer more if rice is not tender.) Remove from heat and let sit covered for five minutes. Drain any excess liquid and fluff with a table fork. Let cool.

Mix the wild rice and sausage together.

Preheat the oven to 400^oF.

Stuff the birds with the rice and sausage mixture and tie the legs of each hen together with kitchen twine. Brush the birds all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast fifteen minutes and reduce temperature to 350^oF.

Roast and additional 30-45 minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165^oF. Let the birds rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. Split the hens in half through the breast with a sharp knife, and keeping the stuffing intact. Serve the game hens skin-side up.