The soup and sauce book

by Elizabeth Douglas

Hare Soup

A large fresh hare
2 onions
1 carrot
2 pieces of celery
Bouquet of herbs
4 cloves
4 pepper-corns
Cayenne
1 glass of port
2 quarts of cold water

Cut a perfectly fresh hare into pieces, being careful to save all the blood. Let the pieces soak in two quarts of cold water in a stew-pan for an hour. Add the blood, and set on the fire. Bring to the boil, stirring and skimming frequently. Add the vegetables, herbs, spices and pepper-corns. Simmer gently for two or three hours. Strain off the liquid. Cut the meat from the bones. Set aside some of the best to be cut into small pieces. Pound the rest in a mortar and put through a tammy (see [p. 60]). Return to the sauce-pan with the stock. When it boils season highly, add a glass of port wine, and the small pieces of hare which have been reserved. Serve. Force-meat balls (see [p. 104]) may be added also.