1353.—RABBIT IN ASPIC JELLY. (Fr.—Lapin en Gelée.)
Ingredients.—Cooked rabbit, aspic jelly, hard-boiled eggs, shredded bacon.
Method.—Divide the rabbit into neat pieces. Cover the bottom of a plain mould with a thin layer of liquid, but cold, aspic jelly, and, when set, decorate with slices or sections of egg, and add more jelly. Arrange the pieces of rabbit in layers interspersed with strips of bacon and slices of egg, and fill up with jelly. Put aside until set, then unmould, garnish with chopped aspic, and serve.
Time.—To set the aspic, from 2 to 3 hours. Average Cost, 2s. 6d. to 3s. Seasonable from September to March.
The Rabbit.—This animal is an inhabitant of the temperate regions, but does not reach so far north as the hare, to which it is allied. The wild rabbit is a native of Great Britain, and is found in large numbers in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. The flesh of the wild rabbit is darker than that of the domesticated species, and is by some considered to possess a higher flavour, although neither so white nor so delicate. It is also smaller in size and less fat than the tame rabbit.
1354.—RABBIT, AMERICAN STYLE. (Fr.—Lapin à l'Americaine.)
Ingredients.—1 rabbit, ¼ of a pint of tomato purée, 1½ ozs. of butter, 1 oz. of flour, 2 ozs. of dripping, stock, salt and pepper, lemon-juice, castor sugar.
Method.—Wash and dry the rabbit thoroughly, and divide it into neat joints. Heat the dripping in a stewpan, fry the rabbit until well-browned, and drain away the fat. Barely cover with stock, put on a close-fitting lid, and cook very gently until tender. Meanwhile heat the butter in another stewpan, fry the flour slowly until it acquires a nut-brown colour, then stir in the tomato purée. When ready, remove the rabbit and keep it hot. Strain and add ¾ of a pint of the stock to the blended flour and butter. Stir until boiling, season to taste, and add a pinch of sugar and about 1 teaspoonful of lemon-juice. Put in the rabbit, make thoroughly hot, then serve.
Time.—To stew, from 1 to 1¼ hours. Average Cost, 1s. 9d. to 2s. 1d. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable from September to March.
1355.—RABBIT À LA MINUTE. (Fr.—Lapin à la Minute.)
Ingredients.—1 young rabbit, 4 ozs. of butter, 1 good tablespoonful of flour, 2 tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, ½ dessertspoonful of chopped parsley, ½ a saltspoonful of mace, salt and pepper, ¾ of a pint of boiling stock or water.
Method.—Wash and thoroughly dry the rabbit and cut it into neat joints. Heat 2½ ozs. of butter in a stewpan, put in the rabbit, sprinkle with
