Instructions: Preheat oven to 350F. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper.

In medium-sized skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup oyster liquor, mace and thyme. Add onion; cook 5 minutes until onion is tender and liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup.

In medium-sized bowl, toss onion mixture with oysters, bread cubes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sherry.

Spoon oyster stuffing loosely into hens. Tie legs together and fold back wings.

In a small saucepan, melt butter; combine with remaining sherry and baste hens with mixture. Roast hens, basting occasionally, about 1 hour and 15 minutes longer or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. Remove hens from roasting pan, cut strings, place on serving platter and keep warm. Pour pan juices into a heat proof measuring cup or small bowl. Skim off 2 tablespoons of clear yellow drippings that rise to the top and return to pan. Skim off any remaining yellow drippings and discard. Reserve degreased pan juices to add to gravy with broth.

If desired, serve hens garnished with spiced or brandied fruit. Serve with sherried gravy.

SHERRIED PAN GRAVY:
Place roasting pan over medium heat; add flour to reserved clear pan drippings and cook 2 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom to incorporate any browned bits. Stir in enough combined degreased pan juices, chicken broth and sherry to make 2 cups; simmer, stirring constantly, 2 minutes longer. Strain gravy into sauceboat.

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