_Choosing and Trussing_.--Choose a young hare; which may be known by its
smooth and sharp claws, and by the cleft in the lip not being much
spread. To be eaten in perfection, it must hang for some time; and, if
properly taken care of, it may be kept for several days. It is better to
hang without being paunched; but should it be previously emptied, wipe
the inside every day, and sprinkle over it a little pepper and ginger,
to prevent the musty taste which long keeping in the damp occasions, and
which also affects the stuffing. After it is skinned, wash it well, and
soak for an hour in warm water to draw out the blood; if old, let it lie
in vinegar for a short time, but wash it well afterwards in several
waters. Make a forcemeat by recipe No. 417, wipe the hare dry, fill the
belly with it, and sew it up. Bring the hind and fore legs close to the
body towards the head, run a skewer through each, fix the head between
the shoulders by means of another skewer, and be careful to leave the
ears on. Pat a string round the body from skewer to skewer, and tie it
above the back.
[Illustration: ROAST HARE.]
_Mode_.--The hare should be kept at a distance from the fire when it is
first laid down, or the outside will become dry and hard before the
inside is done. Baste it well with milk for a short time, and afterwards
with butter; and particular attention must be paid to the basting, so as
to preserve the meat on the back juicy and nutritive. When it is almost
roasted enough, flour the hare, and baste well with butter. When nicely
frothed, dish it, remove the skewers, and send it to table with a little
gravy in the dish, and a tureen of the same. Red-currant jelly must also
not be forgotten, as this is an indispensable accompaniment to roast
hare. For economy, good beef dripping may be substituted for the milk
and butter to baste with; but the basting, as we have before stated,
must be continued without intermission. If the liver is good, it maybe
parboiled, minced, and mixed with the stuffing; but it should not be
used unless quite fresh.--See coloured plate, E1.
_Time_.--A middling-sized hare, 1-1/4 hour; a large hare, 1-1/2 to 2
hours.
_Average cost_, from 4s. to 6s.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from September to the end of February.
THE HARE.--This little animal is found generally distributed over
Europe, and, indeed, in most parts of the northern world. Its extreme
timidity is the endowment which Providence has bestowed upon it as a
means of defence; it is therefore attentive to every sound, and is
supplied with ears both long and tubular, with which it can hear with
great acuteness. Its eyes, also, are so constructed, and placed so
prominent in its head, that it can see both before and behind it. It
lives entirely upon vegetables, but its flesh is considered dry,
notwithstanding that it is deemed, in many respects, superior to that of
the rabbit, being more savoury, and of a much higher flavour. Its
general time of feeding is the evening; but during the day, if not
disturbed, it adheres closely to its _form_.
[Illustration: THE HARE.]
POTTED HARE (a Luncheon or Breakfast Dish).