THE COOKERY OF THE RABBIT 243 



pieces in butter with grated bacon and a handful of 

 chopped mushrooms, parsley and eschalot, with salt 

 and pepper. Boil a teaspoonful of flour with a little 

 consomme, and pour into the stew-pan with the rabbits. 

 Stew slowly ; skin and strain the sauce and serve it 

 on the rabbits with lemon and cayenne.' A faint 

 suspicion of garlic improves all these dishes. There 

 is no better way of disposing of rabbits than smother- 

 ing. Truss and boil and smother in creamy onion 

 sauce. Mrs. Dodds tells us that in Scotland they 

 used to be smothered in an onion sauce made with 

 clear gravy instead of melted butter, and that, if 

 the dish looked less attractive, it was equally good. 

 Whether rabbits are boiled to be smothered or boiled 

 to be served au nature!, the essential is that the boil- 

 ing should be as slow as possible and finished leisurely 

 in front of the fire. 



Rabbit curry is always capital, and, if economy is 

 to be considered, the fragments of former dishes may 

 be utilised. The great thing is to make sure of good 

 stock, and the cook's skill is shown in suiting the 

 seasoning to the palates of those who are to partake. 

 Tastes vary ; but it is obvious enough that the 

 savour of the rabbit should not be swamped in too 

 fiery a dressing. The cut meat is fried in butter with 

 sliced Portugal onions over a quick fire. The artist 



