TO COOK RABBITS
I do not profess to be a cook of the first rank, or even the fourth or ninth; but when it comes to cooking rabbits I’ll put on the kitchen apron with any cook, amateur or professional, in the country—(managers, please note!). And I’ll abide by the decision of any judge of rabbit flesh.
Out in California, where I live most of the time on my mountain yacht, you can get a lot of rabbits by shooting them—if you are good. But it’s easier to buy them, and they taste the same.
To cook a rabbit right do it this way: First—get the rabbit, clean and cut into six pieces. Soak the pieces in salt water for several hours—I usually soak ’em all night and right up to the time for cooking. This whitens and improves the meat.
When you are ready to cook, dry the pieces; roll them in a beaten egg and then in cracker crumbs. Put the pieces into a very hot pan with plenty of butter and fry it to a golden brown. When the color is right put water into the pan so that the rabbit is about half covered. Cover the pan with a tight lid and steam slowly until the water is all gone. Then serve.
Now, if you can substitute an ordinary claret for the salt water mentioned first, and if you have more claret in which to steam the fried rabbit you may know the perfect dish!