5 cups water

1 large onion, quartered

Celery leaves from 3 stalks celery

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed and undiluted

1/2 cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped

2-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

Garnishes: fresh rosemary, oregano, thyme, and fresh cranberries

 

Combine giblets and neck from hen, 5 cups water, and next 4 ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1-1/2 hours.  Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer, reserving broth and discarding solids in strainer.  Cover and refrigerate broth.

 

Rinse hen with cold water; drain and pat dry.  Tie ends of legs together with string. Lift wingtips up and over back, and tuck under bird.  Place hen, breast side up, in a 15 x 10 x 2-inch baking pan.  Cover pan with foil.

 

Bake at 325 deg. for 3 hours; uncover and bake 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 180 deg.  Remove hen from pan, reserving drippings.  Remove and discard fat from drippings in baking pan; return 2 tablespoons drippings to pan.

 

Add water to reserved broth to equal 1-1/2 cups.  Add broth to drippings to baking pan.  Stir to loosen browned particles; add cranberry juice and cranberries.  Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes.  Combine cornstarch and water, stirring until smooth.  Stir into gravy mixture; return to a boil.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Serve with hen.  Garnish hen, if desired.

 

Yield:  8 to 10 servings.