Fillet three hares as before and cut each fillet into four escalopes in a slanting direction; beat them into an oval shape, put an ounce of butter in a deep sauté-pan, with a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots; when the butter is melted lay in the escalopes, season them with a little pepper and salt, and place them on a sharp fire; when half done turn them over, be careful not to do them too much; when done dress in crown upon a border of mashed potatoes, pour off the butter, then put a glass of port wine in the sauté-pan, with fifteen spoonfuls of demi-glace (No. 9), a little salt, and sugar, reduce it three minutes, keeping it stirred, sauce over and serve.
No. 853. Cotelettes de Lièvre à la Dauphine.
Fillet two hares as before, and out of each fillet cut three cotelettes by cutting each fillet in halves, making one of the thin end and cutting the thick into two equal slices, thus making twelve pieces of the four fillets; beat them of an equal thickness, boil the rib-bones of one of the hares till all the flesh comes off, and stick a bone in each piece to imitate the bone of a cotelette, egg, bread-crumb, and fry them in oil a nice colour, but not too much done, dress in crown upon a border of mashed potatoes, and sauce over with a sauce piquante (No. 27) in which you have introduced a few chopped olives.
No. 854. Turban de Lièvre à la Péronne.
Fillet one large hare and make six cotelettes out of the two fillets as in the last, egg and bread-crumb them with a little chopped ham mixed with the bread-crumbs, and fry in oil as before; you have previously made forcemeat of the legs as described (No. 123), with which make six large quenelles, poach, and dish them on a border of mashed potatoes alternately with the cotelettes; have ready the following sauce: put a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots in a stewpan, with two of tarragon vinegar and a piece of glaze half the size of a walnut, place over the fire two minutes, add a pint of white sauce and eight spoonfuls of white stock, reduce till rather thick, then add a little sugar and twenty small pickled onions; sauce over the quenelles, glaze the cotelettes and serve.
For boudins de lièvre, or quenelles, proceed the same as for boudins or quenelles de volaille, only using forcemeat made from the legs of the hare instead of the forcemeat of fowl; and for jugged hare and civet de lièvre, see Kitchen at Home. They may be made from the legs after you have taken the fillets for other purposes.
No. 855. Filets de Lapereau à la Valencienne.
For entrées the tame rabbits are the best, and most preferable; but the wild are very good and may be dressed in any of the following ways.
Take three or four young rabbits, skin and fillet them the same as the hares; if the fillets are sufficiently large cut each one in halves forming each piece in the shape of a small cotelette, beat them lightly and of equal thickness, place them in a buttered sauté-pan, season with a little white pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon, place them over a moderate fire and when half done turn them; they are done as soon as they feel firm to the touch, and must be kept quite white, dress in crown upon a border of mashed potatoes, put eighteen spoonfuls of white sauce (No. 7) in the sauté-pan, with ten of white stock, stir over the fire till it adheres to the back of the spoon, add a little pepper and salt if required, finish with two tablespoonfuls of cream and the juice of half a lemon; sauce over and serve.