1822—Lièvre en Daube

Take a fresh hare, and bone it from the back without emptying it, that the skin of the belly may be untouched.

Detach the shoulders and the legs; do not touch the head; season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with a few drops of brandy, and leave to No. 168, Cooked Marinade for Venison. With the hare’s liver, some fat bacon, and some truffle parings, prepare a No. 268, Gratins forcemeat. Prepare another forcemeat with the meat of the shoulders and the legs, an equal weight of fat bacon, one egg, a pinch of wild thyme, salt, pepper, spices, and the brandy of the No. 168, Cooked Marinade for Venison. Rub this forcemeat through a sieve, and add to it the No. 268, Gratins forcemeat, one-half lb. of fat bacon, and five oz. of truffles cut into dice.

Fill the boned hare with this preparation; sew it up, and tie the head to the back in such wise as to give the piece the appearance of the animal at rest.

Wrap it in slices of bacon, and set it in a terrine lined with the latter; sprinkle with a glassful of brandy, and place in the oven for thirty minutes with lid off.

Then pour into the terrine a fumet prepared with red wine from the hare’s bones; cover, and then cook in the oven gently for three hours.

Leave to half-cool; drain away the cooking-liquor, and carefully remove the slices of bacon. Strain the cooking-liquor through muslin; return it to the terrine, and fill up the latter with savoury jelly.

Keep in the cool for two hours before serving.