372. PUREE OF HARE A LA CONTI.
Skin, paunch, and cut up a hare into pieces. Put two ounces of
butter into a stewpan with two shalots, a blade of mace, a sprig of
thyme, and half a bay-leaf. When the butter has been made hot on
the stove-fire, put the pieces of hare into the stewpan, and having
fried these of a brown colour, moisten them with a bottle of Sau-
terne wine; when the wine has boiled ten minutes, add three pints
of good consommé; and then, after allowing the hare to boil gently
on the side of the stove-fire for about an hour and a quarter, strain
the pieces of hare into a sieve, reserving the broth in a basin, and
after having separated the meat from the bones, &c., pound it thoroughly
with a little boiled rice; dilute it with the stock it was boiled in, and
pass it through the tammy into a purée. Just before sending to
table, make the purée sufficiently hot, and having tested its degree of
seasoning, serve with a plate of fried croûtons, to be handed round
to the guests.