Rum Glazed Cornish Hens Stuffed with Sweet Plantains

In a blender, combine garlic, onion, orange juice and lime juice with sugar, cumin, oregano, lemon-pepper, black pepper, salt and cilantro. Blend until thoroughly incorporated. Pour in the olive oil, and blend until smooth.

Divide marinade and marinate Cornish hens in large Ziploc bags for 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or with a silicone mat. Trim the ends of the ripe plantains and bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, until skins are dark. The plantain will also push out the ends. Remove from the oven and cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel plantains, slice and place in a medium bowl.

Whisk together butter, brown sugar, garlic and rum in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter rum mixture to the plantains. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the plantains and set aside.

Turn oven up to 400 degrees.

Remove Cornish hens from the marinade and pat dry. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin from the hen, season the hens under the skin and inside the cavity with salt and pepper, then rub the butter rum glaze under the skin and in the cavity. Reserved half of the butter rum mixture for glazing.

Loosely fill the cavities of the hens with mashed sweet plantains. Tie up the legs with roasting twine. Place in a roasting rack and generously brush the skin of the hens with butter rum glaze. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting periodically with the butter rum glaze and drippings, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. (If skin begins to brown before hens are ready, tent with aluminum foil.) Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes.