Basilazzo, one of the Liparian isles north of
Sicily, was once reduced to famine by rabbits ; a similar
fate befell the Balearic Isles. France swarmed with them,
particularly in the south ; and it is related by Beaujeu
that a Proven9al gentleman went out in 1551 with several
of his vassals and three dogs, and bagged six hundred
rabbits in one day. He also relates that on the island
near Arles they were so numerous that if a sportsman did
not kill a hundred of them in a day he was dissatisfied.
In our day the rabbit-pest in Australia and New Zealand is
476
THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY
sufficiently notorious to illustrate the dangerous character
of this animal. But whatever may be the cost to agi-icul-
ture of every wild rabbit, the species furnishes a vast
amount of food of varying quality, and in such a subdivided
state that it is accessible to the small purse. It is calcu-
lated in the statistics of hat-makers, who use the skins, or,
rather, their hair, for the production of felt, that about
twenty millions of rabbits are killed annually in Europe.
Their flesh is best for eating during the winter-time ; they
should not be too young or too old. The young rabbit is
distinguished from the old one by having on its forefeet,
below the joint, underneath the skin, a projection of the size
of a lentil, which the old rabbit no longer possesses. The
wild or warren rabbit is recognised by the red colour of
the hair of its feet, and of the part under its tail. This
colour is produced in tame rabbits by singeing, and the
fraud can be discovered by the burnt smell of the parts.
The flesh of the rabbit is mostly lean, and very digestible.
Boast Babbit is not in favour in this country, and English
culinary works take no notice of it. It is, however, a ready
method of preparing a dish quickly, as a rabbit can be
roasted in from thirty to forty minutes. To prevent the
rabbit from getting dry, cover it with yolk and crumb, and
baste it with butter.
Gibelotte (old style) means a dish of Stewed Babbit, and
nothing else ; the fricassee is better if half an eel be fried
with it. Scollops or Kehobs of Babbit may bo fried or
stewed, and are yet quicker prepared than the whole rabbit.
The gibelotte may be garnished with green peas. Fillets of
rabbits may be placed in ragouts, and garnished witli
quenelles ; or placed in a casserole with a cullis. The
Portuguese braise the rabbit before boning it, and place
the meat in a sauce, mostly espagnole, to form fricassee.
Fillets of Babbit may be sauced, crumbed, and broiled.
Tlie word Prdsolles is used in two senses — as a sul)stan-
GIBELOTTE AND BRESOLLES OF RABBIT 477
Page 300
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Basilazzo, one of the Liparian isles north of Sicily, was once reduced to famine by rabbits ; a similar fate befell the Balearic Isles. France swarmed with them, particularly in the south ; and it is related by Beaujeu that a Proven9al gentleman went out in 1551 with several of his vassals and three dogs, and bagged six hundred rabbits in one day. He also relates that on the island near Arles they were so numerous that if a sportsman did not kill a hundred of them in a day he was dissatisfied. In our day the rabbit-pest in Australia and New Zealand is
sufficiently notorious to illustrate the dangerous character of this animal. But whatever may be the cost to agriculture of every wild rabbit, the species furnishes a vast amount of food of varying quality, and in such a subdivided state that it is accessible to the small purse. It is calculated in the statistics of hat-makers, who use the skins, or, rather, their hair, for the production of felt, that about twenty millions of rabbits are killed annually in Europe. Their flesh is best for eating during the winter-time ; they should not be too young or too old. The young rabbit is distinguished from the old one by having on its forefeet, below the joint, underneath the skin, a projection of the size of a lentil, which the old rabbit no longer possesses. The wild or warren rabbit is recognised by the red colour of the hair of its feet, and of the part under its tail. This colour is produced in tame rabbits by singeing, and the fraud can be discovered by the burnt smell of the parts. The flesh of the rabbit is mostly lean, and very digestible.
Roast Rabbit is not in favour in this country, and English culinary works take no notice of it. It is, however, a ready method of preparing a dish quickly, as a rabbit can be roasted in from thirty to forty minutes. To prevent the rabbit from getting dry, cover it with yolk and crumb, and baste it with butter.
Gibelotte (old style) means a dish of Stewed Babbit, and nothing else ; the fricassee is better if half an eel be fried with it. Scollops or Kebobs of Rabbit may be fried or stewed, and are yet quicker prepared than the whole rabbit. The gibelotte may be garnished with green peas. Fillets of rabbits may be placed in ragouts, and garnished with quenelles ; or placed in a casserole with a cullis. The Portuguese braise the rabbit before boning it, and place the meat in a sauce, mostly espagnole, to form fricassee. Fillets of Rabbit may be sauced, crumbed, and broiled.
The word Bresolles is used in two senses — as a substan-
GIBELOTTE AND BRESOLLES OF RABBIT 477