You case the Rabbit all, excepting the lower Joints of the four Legs, and those you chop off: then pass a Skewer through the middle of the Haunches, after you have laid them flat, as at A; and the Fore-Legs, which are called the Wings, must be turn'd, as at B; so that the smaller Joint may be push'd into the Body, through the Ribs. This, as a single Rabbit, has the Spit pass'd through the Body and Head, but the Skewer takes hold of the Spit to preserve the Haunches. But to truss a couple of Rabbits, there are seven Skewers, and then the Spit passes only between the Skewers, without touching the Rabbits.
To make a Pheasant of a Rabbit, truss'd in such a manner, that it will appear like a Pheasant, and eat like one, with its Sauce. This is called, by the topping Poulterers, a Poland-Chicken, or a Portugal-Chicken. But it is most like a Pheasant, if it is larded. From Mrs. Johnson, at the famous Eating-House in Devereux-Court near the Temple.
[Illustration: Fig. 3]
Take a young Rabbit full grown; case it all, excepting the Fore-Feet, chop off them, and the Head, as close as may be, but strip the Skin from the hind Legs, even to leave the Claws on them. These Claws are not unlike the Claws of a Pheasant, and some good Judges may be deceiv'd by their first Look, for they are little different from the Legs of the Fowls we design to imitate. Then turn the Neck-part of the Rabbit, the Breast inwards, to the Scut or the Rump, leaving the Rump somewhat short, but to appear; then will the Rabbit appear in the Shape above, viz. B is the Scut, or Rump, of the Rabbit, and C is where the Neck comes; then will the Part mark'd F, appear like the Breast of a Fowl: but you must put up the stript Legs of the Rabbit, over each side of the Neck of it, and tie all together, with a String, as mark'd H H. So will the Hind-Legs of the Rabbit appear like the Legs of a Fowl, and where you see the Letter G mark'd, the Back of the Rabbit is broken. D, is what represents the Back-Side of the Fowl, and E is the Appearance of the Wings, which are supposed to be stuck into the Back, where two large Orifices are made, but the Bones of the Wings, of the Rabbit, must be taken out. A, shews the Legs as they ought to be tied, and O O Directs to the Points of the Skewers which are to run through it.
[Illustration: Fig. 4]
Fig. 4. will shew you the Back of the same, when it is truss'd, with the Appearance of the Skewers, o, o, o, o, with the Orifices, wherein are the supposed Bones of the Wings. If this is larded on the Breast, I think it best, and it should be served with the following Sauce, if it is roasted.
When this is thus prepared, you may stick a Pheasant's Tail-Feather at the Scut, and roast it as you would do a Pheasant, basting it well with Butter, after it is drudg'd well with Flour; then make the following Sauce for it. Take some strong Gravey, and put a little Lemon-Peel into it, with some Spice, and a little Wine; then take a few Buttons of Mushrooms pickled, and thicken it with burnt Butter, so that the Sauce becomes like one fit for a Ragout, or Ragoo, as the English pronounce it. Pour this over the Fowl or Rabbit, which you please to call it, and serve it hot, with a Garnish of Lemon sliced, and pickled Red Beet-Roots sliced.
Of Trussing a Pidgeon. From the same.
[Illustration: Fig. 5]
Draw it, but leave in the Liver, for that has no Gall; then push up the Breast from the Vent, and holding up the Legs, put a Skewer just between the bent of the Thigh and the brown of the Leg, first having turn'd the Pinnions under the Back: and see the lower Joint of the biggest Pinnions, are so pass'd with the Skewer, that the Legs are between them and the Body, as at A.