4 cornish game hens, cut along the backbone and spread out
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium-large onion, cut into medium dice
1 cup blackberries, diced
½ cup Blackberry preserves
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup nuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in blackberries, then spread mixture onto a large cookie sheet. Place hens over the mixture. Mix jam and vinegar, and brush all but a few tablespoons over hens.
Bake hens, brushing 2 or 3 times with remaining jam mixture and accumulated pan juices, until hens are golden brown and juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Turn heat from bake to broil, then cook until hens are spotty brown, watching carefully so they don’t burn, 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer hens to a large platter with tongs, then cut in half at the breastbone to create individual servings.
Return blackberry dressing to the oven and broil to evaporate some of the excess liquid, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in nuts and parsley. Serve.
