The handy dictionary of cookery

Wash and blanch a young rabbit ; cut it up into neat joints ; roll each piece in flour, salt and pepper ; put a layer in the bottom of a pie-dish. Cut a quarter of a pound of lean ham into small slices ; arrange a layer on the top of the pieces of rabbit, also two hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters ; then a layer of balls made with the liver rubbed fine with a knife and one ounce of butter. Repeat this till the dish is full; pour in some good stock, well seasoned; cover the top with rough puff pastry (see Pastry), and bake. JVofe. — To blanch is to place anything on the fire in cold water until it boils, then strain off the water, and plunge it into cold water for the purpose of rendering it white. (Afiother way.) Well wash a rabbit ; put it into cold water, allow it to come to the boil, remove it from the pan ; cut it up into joints, and roll each joint in flour, pepper and salt ; pound the liver with a quarter of a pound of ham ; form it into balls. Place a layer of rabbit at the bottom of a pie-dish ; then a layer of balls, hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters, and slices of ham; repeat until the dish is full. Pour in some stock; cover the dish with rough puff pastry, ornament it with leaves and a rose at the top. Bake in a moderate oven two hours. Rabbit, Roast. Take a plump young rabbit; skin, empty, and wash it well; fill the inside with good veal forcemeat, sew it up securely. Place the forelegs back and the hind legs forwards; truss firmly. Fasten the head in an upright position with a skewer ; put a slice of fat bacon on the back and tie it with a piece of string. Place it in front of a clear fire, and baste it liberally all the time, from three-quarters of an hour, according to the size of the- rabbit ; a few minutes before serving remove the bacon and dredge over a little flour, baste it well. When a nice brown serve on a hot dish with rolled slices of bacon round it and some good brown gravy in a tureen. Rabbit, Stewed. Prepare the rabbit as for a pie (see Rabbit Pie) ; after it is blanched allow it to get cold ; cut it up into neat joints ; put a tablespoonful of flour on a plate with half a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper. Mix them well together ; toss the rabbit in it. Put into a pan two ounces of butter or dripping, allow it to get quite hot, fry the joints a pale brown on both sides, also two onions prepared and finely chopped (see 0^uoNs), then pour in enough stock to cover the rabbit ; stew very slowly one hour ; add a tablespoonful of ketchup, a teaspoonful of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Raised Pie. Boil together a quarter of a pint of water and a quarter of a pound of lard. Put into a basin one pound of flour, a pinch of salt, and the hot lard and water ; mix it wdth a wooden spoon into the centre of the flour; knead it well on a floured board. Form it into a pie with the hands, or roll it out on a floured board and line a raised pie mould ; fill it with meat seasoned and cut up into small pieces j wet the edges of the top, put on the lid, pinch it firmly all round, and ornament it according to taste. Let it stand four hours before baking. Bake it in a good hot oven. Raspberry Spong’e.