_Seasonable_ from September to the end of February.
BROILED HARE (a Supper or Luncheon Dish).
1029. INGREDIENTS.--The leg and shoulders of a roast hare, cayenne and salt to taste, a little b.u.t.ter.
_Mode_.--Cut the legs and shoulders of a roast hare, season them highly with salt and cayenne, and broil them over a very clear fire for 5 minutes. Dish them on a hot dish, rub over them a little cold b.u.t.ter, and send to table very quickly.
_Time_.--5 minutes.
_Seasonable_ from September to the end of February.
HASHED HARE.
1030. INGREDIENTS.--The remains of cold roast hare, 1 blade of pounded mace, 2 or 3 allspice, pepper and salt to taste, 1 onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, 3 tablespoonfuls of port wine, thickening of b.u.t.ter and flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup.
_Mode_.--Cut the cold hare into neat slices, and put the head, bones, and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs into a stewpan, with 3/4 pint of water; add the mace, allspice, seasoning, onion, and herbs, and stew for nearly an hour, and strain the gravy; thicken it with b.u.t.ter and flour, add the wine and ketchup, and lay in the pieces of hare, with any stuffing that may be left. Let the whole gradually heat by the side of the fire, and, when it has simmered for about 5 minutes, serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread. Send red-currant jelly to table with it.
_Time_.--Rather more than 1 hour.
_Average cost_, exclusive of the cold hare, 6d.
_Seasonable_ from September to the end of February.
JUGGED HARE.
(_Very Good_.)
1031. INGREDIENTS.--1 hare, 1-1/2 lb. of gravy beef, 1/2 lb. of b.u.t.ter, 1 onion, 1 lemon, 6 cloves; pepper, cayenne, and salt to taste; 1/2 pint of port wine.
_Mode_.--Skin, paunch, and wash the hare, cut it into pieces, dredge them with flour, and fry in boiling b.u.t.ter. Have ready 1-1/2 pint of gravy, made from the above proportion of beef, and thickened with a little flour. Put this into a jar; add the pieces of fried hare, an onion stuck with six cloves, a lemon peeled and cut in half, and a good seasoning of pepper, cayenne, and salt; cover the jar down tightly, put it up to the neck into a stewpan of boiling water, and let it stew until the hare is quite tender, taking care to keep the water boiling. When nearly done, pour in the wine, and add a few forcemeat b.a.l.l.s, made by recipe No. 417: these must be fried or baked in the oven for a few minutes before they are put to the gravy. Serve with red-currant jelly.
_Time_,--3-1/2 to 4 hours. If the hare is very old, allow 4-1/2 hours.
_Average cost_, 7s.
_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to the end of February.
II.
(_A Quicker and more Economical Way_.)
1032. INGREDIENTS.--1 hare, a bunch of sweet herbs, 2 onions, each stuck with 3 cloves, 6 whole allspice, 1/2 teaspoonful of black pepper, a strip of lemon-peel, thickening of b.u.t.ter and flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, 1/4 pint of port wine.
_Mode._--Wash the hare nicely, cut it up into joints (not too large), and flour and brown them as in the preceding recipe; then put them into a stewpan with the herbs, onions, cloves, allspice, pepper, and lemon-peel; cover with hot water, and when it boils, carefully remove all the sc.u.m, and let it simmer gently till tender, which will be in about 1-3/4 hour, or longer, should the hare be very old. Take out the pieces of hare, thicken the gravy with flour and b.u.t.ter, add the ketchup and port wine, let it boil for about 10 minutes, strain it through a sieve over the hare, and serve. A few fried forcemeat b.a.l.l.s should be added at the moment of serving, or instead of frying them, they may be stewed in the gravy, about 10 minutes before the hare is wanted for table. Do not omit to serve red-currant jelly with it.
_Time_.--Altogether 2 hours. _Average cost_, 5s. 6d.
_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to the end of February.
_Note_.--Should there be any left, rewarm it the next day by putting the hare, &c. into a covered jar, and placing this jar in a saucepan of boiling water: this method prevents a great deal of waste.
ROAST LANDRAIL, OR CORN-CRAKE.
1033. INGREDIENTS.--3 or 4 birds, b.u.t.ter, fried bread crumbs.
[Ill.u.s.tration: LANDRAILS.]
_Mode_.--Pluck and draw the birds, wipe them inside and out with damp cloths, and truss them in the following manner:--Bring the head round under the wing, and the thighs close to the sides; pa.s.s a skewer through them and the body, and keep the legs straight. Roast them before a clear fire, keep them well basted, and serve on fried bread crumbs, with a tureen of brown gravy. When liked, bread-sauce may also be sent to table with them.
_Time_.--12 to 20 minutes. _Average cost_,--Seldom bought.
_Sufficient_.--Allow--1 for a dish.
_Seasonable_ from August 12th to the middle of September.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE LANDRAIL.]
THE LANDRAIL, OR CORN-CRAKE.--This bird is migratory in its habits, yet from its formation, it seems ill adapted for long aerial pa.s.sages, its wings being short, and placed so forward out of the centre of gravity, that it flies in an extremely heavy and embarra.s.sed manner, and with its legs hanging down.
When it alights, it can hardly be sprung a second time, as it runs very fast, and seems to depend for its safety more on the swiftness of its feet than the celerity of its wings. It makes its appearance in England about the same time as the quail, that is, in the months of April and May, and frequents the same places. Its singular cry is first heard when the gra.s.s becomes long enough to shelter it, and it continues to be heard until the gra.s.s is cut. The bird, however, is seldom seen, for it constantly skulks among the thickest portions of the herbage, and runs so nimbly through it, doubling and winding in every direction, that it is difficult to get near it. It leaves this island before the winter, and repairs to other countries in search of its food, which princ.i.p.ally consists of slugs, large numbers of which it destroys. It is very common in Ireland, and, whilst migrating to this country, is seen in great numbers in the island of Anglesea. On its first arrival in England, it is so lean as scarcely to weigh above five or six ounces; before its departure, however, it has been known to exceed eight ounces, and is then most delicious eating.
TO DRESS A LEVERET.
1034. INGREDIENTS.--2 leverets, b.u.t.ter, flour.
_Mode_.--Leverets should be trussed in the same manner as a hare, but they do not require stuffing. Roast them before a clear fire, and keep them well basted all the time they are cooking. A few minutes before serving, dredge them lightly with flour, and froth them nicely. Serve with plain gravy in the dish, and send to table red-currant jelly with them.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour. _Average cost_, in full season, 4s. each.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from May to August, but cheapest in July and August.
BROILED PARTRIDGE (a Luncheon, Breakfast, or Supper Dish).
1035. INGREDIENTS.--3 partridges, salt and cayenne to taste, a small piece of b.u.t.ter, brown gravy or mushroom sauce.
_Mode_.--Pluck, draw, and cut the partridges in half, and wipe the inside thoroughly with a damp cloth. Season them with salt and cayenne, broil them over a very clear fire, and dish them on a hot dish; rub a small piece of b.u.t.ter over each half, and send them to table with brown gravy or mushroom sauce.
_Time_.--About 1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d. to 2s. a brace.