Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Rabbits, Skinning of.— Cut the skin round the first joint of the hind-legs. Pull up the skin a little, and pass a knife along the skin inside the thigh as far as the tail. Afterwards pass the hand under the skin, and it will easily separate from the body. Draw it off towards the head. Cut the first joint off the fore-legs, and pull up the skin. Draw up the ears by passing a skewer between the skin and the head, and take oii the skin. Cut the nose and lip, and draw the skin right oft". Cut a slit just under the body, take out the inside, leaving the kidneys. Save the liver and heart, and take out the eyes. Wash the rabbit well inside and out, drain, and wipe it diy. Rabbits, Trussing of. — To truss a rabbit for boiling : — Draw the fore-legs backwards, and the hind-legs forwards, bring the head round to the side, and fasten it there with a skewer run through it and the body. To truss a rabbit for roasting :— Skewer the head firmljr between the shoulders. Draw the legs close to the body, and pass a skewer through them. Rabbits, Wild, Stock Broth from.— Wild rabbits are sometimes used to impart the required gamey flavour to stock which is to be used for certain soups. This stock is prepared as follows : — Divide a wild rabbit into joints, and cut half a pound of veal into small pieces. Put these in a stewpan with a slice of fresh butter, and stir them lightly over a slow fire till they are brown. Pour over them as much water as will cover them, and bring the liquor gently to the boil, carefully removing the scum as it rises. Place it by the side of the fire, take ofl: the fat as it is thrown up, and simmer the liquor verj- gently. Add the vegetables and seasonings which are suitable for the intended soup, and when the liquor is sufficiently flavoured strain it for use. If the rabbit is not too much boiled it may be served with white or brown sauce. Raeahout. — Racahout is said to be farina prepared from the acorns of the Barbary oak disguised with a little flavouring. The following is recommended by Cooley in his Recipes as an imitation : — Roasted cacao or chocolate nuts, four ounces ; tapioca and potato farina, of each six ounces ; white sugar, slightly flavoured with vanilla, haK a potmd. This preparation, which is very nutritious, is to be used like arrowroot. Rack or Arrack. — This is a spirituous liquor manufactured at different places in the East. " Arrack," says MacCirlloch, " is a term applied in most parts of India and the Indian Islands to designate every sort of spirituous liquor ; a circumstance which accounts for the discrepancy in the statements as to the materials used in making it and the mode of its manufacture. The arrack of Goa and Batavia is in high estimation ; that of Colombo or Ceylon has been said to be inferior to the former ; but tliis is doubtful. Goa and Colombo arrack is invariably made from the vegetable juice ioddy which flows by incision from the cocoa-nut tree. After the juice is fermented it is distilled and rectified. It usually yields about an eighth part of pure spirit. Batavia or Java arrack is obtained by distillation from molasses and rice, with only a small admixture of toddy. When well prepared, arrack is clear and transparent ; generally, however, it is slightly straw-coloured. Its flavour is peculiar ; but it differs considerably, no doubt, in consequence of the different.