Put the butter into the soup-kettle; when it heats, add the meat, cover close, and set where it will heat without scorching. In half an hour set directly over the fire and stir until the meat is coated with a brown glaze. Put in a pint of lukewarm water, and when this has boiled down to one-half, add four quarts and a half of cold water; skim off the top and boil slowly four hours. Cook, in a separate saucepan, the sliced carrot, turnips, herbs, celery and the onions; these last already sliced and fried in dripping. Cover with a quart of water, and boil down to a pint. Strain off the clear liquor, and add to the soup. Set aside the vegetables without pulping them. Now, strain off as much of the soup as is needed for to-day, and let it cool. Put the rest, well seasoned with salt and pepper, into the stock-jar with the boiled vegetables, and keep for another day.
Take all the fat from your cooled soup, strain through muslin back into the scalded soup-kettle, season, boil up and skim; add the soaked gelatine, and stir until clear.
Larded Rabbits.
2 rabbits; ½ lb. fat salt pork; 1 cup of soup-stock—diluted with hot water; bunch of herbs; ½ onion; a glass of wine; pepper and salt, butter and flour.
Divide each rabbit into quarters; lard the upper sides of these with strips of pork. Fry until lightly browned. Put into a saucepan and nearly cover with broth; strew with onion, parsley, pepper and salt, and simmer forty-five minutes, or until tender. Dish, and keep the rabbits hot; strain the gravy, add a good lump of butter rolled in browned flour, and a glass of wine; boil fairly and pour over the rabbits.
Scalloped Cauliflower.
See Sunday, Third Week in December.
Fried Parsnips.
Boil tender; scrape; slice lengthwise, season with pepper and salt, dredge with flour, and fry to a golden brown with lard or dripping. Drain and serve hot.