Au Chasseur (Hunter's or Sportsman's Soup).—A potage au chasseur is always made with game, such as rabbit, prairie-hen, grouse, venison, wild turkey, wild pigeon, etc., but never with aquatic birds. It might be made with quail, but that bird is really too delicate to make soup with. A whole bird or animal is never used, but the bones and trimmings only. After having cut off the fleshy parts, the bones are cracked and used to make the potage.
Take the bones of two prairie-hens after having cut off the flesh on both sides of the breast-bone, also the legs; cut the bones in pieces about half an inch long and set them on the fire with half an ounce of butter, stir for two or three minutes, cover with broth, or game broth, and boil gently till well cooked, or about two hours.
Put in another pan, and set it on the fire at the same time as the above, half a head of cabbage, one carrot, one turnip, and one onion, all cut fine; about half a pound of lean salt pork; cover with cold water, and boil gently for about two hours also.
In case the water or broth should boil away, add a little more.
After having boiled both vegetables and bones about two hours, take off the salt pork from the pan in which the vegetables are, and turn what you have in the other pan over the vegetables, through a strainer; add some broth if it is too thick; boil ten minutes, and serve.
Proceed as above with the bones and trimmings of other birds.
Turtle or Terrapin.—Cut the turtle in dice, throw it in boiling water for two or three minutes, and drain; put it in a stewpan with onions and ham, also cut in dice; season with thyme, parsley, bay-leaf, salt, pepper, and a wine-glass of Madeira wine or of good brandy; wet with Espagnole sauce or with consommé, set on a good fire, boil about half an hour. Ten minutes before taking from the fire, chop the eggs of the turtle, after having boiled them, and put them in a stewpan; if the turtle has none, chop and use hard-boiled eggs instead. When done, throw away parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, turn into bowls, add a little chopped chervil, and a quarter of a rind of lemon, also chopped; the latter is enough for six persons. Serve warm.
It may be strained before putting it in bowls, according to taste.
Turtle-steaks are prepared like beef-steaks.
With Rice and Milk.—Wash half a pound of rice in cold water. Set it on the fire with about one pint of milk, boil gently till done, filling with more milk, so as to keep the rice always covered. When cooked, add a little butter, milk according to taste, sugar or salt, or both, and serve. It will not take more than two quarts of milk.