Cornish Hens with Grape Cognac Sauce

8 Cornish hens
Salt
pepper
Soda
1/2 cup of finely chopped ham
1 stick butter
1 cup of finely chopped onions
1/2 cup of finely chopped celery
1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced
3 cups of soft white bread crumbs or
Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing
1 cup of finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of white pepper
1/2 cup of cognac

Wash and dry hens; rub cavities with equal parts of salt, pepper, and soda.

In a heavy skillet, saut� ham 3 to 4 minutes in 1 tablespoon butter. Remove ham and set aside.

Add 3 tablespoons butter and saut� onion with celery for 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from fire and mix in bread crumbs, ham, parsley, and white pepper. Add cognac to moisten.

Stuff birds, coat with remaining softened butter, salt, and pepper lightly and place in a shallow roasting pan.

Sprinkle hens with 1/4 cup cognac and bake in 350�F. oven for 45 minutes, brushing frequently with pan drippings and remaining cognac.

Transfer hens, halved if desired, to a heated serving dish and keep warm while preparing sauce.

SAUCE

2 pounds of seedless grapes, halved
1 cup of consomm�
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of cognac
Salt
Pepper

To pan drippings, add grapes, consomm�, butter, cognac, salt, pepper, and simmer until thoroughly heated. Serve over hens or in separate sauceboat.