POM Glazed Cornish Game Hen

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Rinse hens; pat dry. Place hens breast-side up on a roasting rack in an oiled roasting pan. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Brush hens lightly with oil; sprinkle with salt, thyme and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 50 to 60 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, and juices run clear. While birds are roasting, prepare fresh pomegranate juice.* Prepare garnish - Prepare fresh pomegranate arils, if necessary.** Reserve 2 tablespoons of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.) Place juice in a small saucepan; sprinkle with a dash of salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Set aside. When hens are done, brush them liberally with some of the juice glaze. Roast 5 minutes more. Place hens on a serving platter; sprinkle with the reserved arils. Pass remaining glaze to spoon over each serving. Serve this pomegranate recipe.

*To prepare fresh pomegranate juice, cut 2–3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.

**To prepare fresh pomegranate arils, score 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl.