Jugged Hare

The hare should be cut into small joints. The legs of a hare can be quite large; they are cut into 3 or 4 pieces each. The body will make 6 or 8 pieces.

Peel carrots and turnips and slice them; peel onion and stick with cloves.

Mix flour and salt. Coat well washed pieces of hare with this. Heat the butter in a thick saucepan and lightly fry hare in it. Put them as they are fried in a casserole or stew jar, scattering the vegetables among them, putting the onion stuck with cloves in the middle of the pieces. Lastly add the herbs, lemon rind and cleaned mushrooms. Add the stock or water with a little of the blood (2 or 3tbsp) and the port wine. Cover closely and cook in a moderate oven, 180C, gas mark 4, 350F, for 3-3 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile prepare the forcemeat balls. Mix all dry ingredients and bind stiffly with stock and port wine. Take up small quantities in the floured hand, squeeze until mixture is bound together; on a floured board roll each portion into a ball, about the size of a walnut. Heat butter in frying pan and fry the balls until lightly browned all over, turning often.

When hare is done remove the herbs and the lemon rind. Give it a good stir, and add the forcemeat balls. Return to oven for a few minutes to get thoroughly hot. If the gravy has dried out in cooking, add a little more boiling stock. Serve with the red currant jelly.