Thai-Curried Game Hens

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or olive oil
• divided
• 2 teaspoons (about) Thai red curry paste*
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk*
• 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 2 5.95-ounce cans straw mushrooms
• drained
• 3 kaffir lime leaves or 2 teaspoons grated lime peel
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)*
• 1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 2 1 1/4-pound Cornish game hens
• thawed if frozen
• halved lengthwise
• backbones removed
• Fresh basil leaves
• Small fresh or dried red chiles** (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add curry paste and tomato paste and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

3. 3

   Add coconut milk, broth, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and brown sugar; bring to simmer.

4. 4

   Remove from heat.

5. 5

   Add cherry tomatoes.

6. 6

   Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

7. 7

   Preheat oven to 350°F.

8. 8

   Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat.

9. 9

   Sprinkle hens with salt and pepper.

10. 10

    Add hens to skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.

11. 11

    Transfer hens to 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

12. 12

    Pour sauce over.

13. 13

    Bake uncovered until hens are cooked through, about 35 minutes.

14. 14

    Transfer hens to shallow serving bowl; tent with foil.

15. 15

    Skim fat from sauce.