Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1771

Rh cooked very soon after it is killed. Cut off the hind legs at the first joints, and after skinning and paunching, let it lie in water for a little while to draw out the blood. Make a good veal forcemeat, and after well washing the inside of the wallaby, stuff it, and sew it up. Truss as a hare, and roast before a bright, clear fire, from 1½ to 1¾ hours, according to size. It must be kept some distance from the fire when first put down, or the outside will be too dry before the inside is done. Baste well, first with milk and then with butter, and when nearly done dredge with flour and baste again with butter till nicely browned.

Time.—2 hours.

Ingredients.—1 water melon, 1 lb. of loaf sugar, ½ a pint of water, lemon-juice, ginger, vine leaves.

Method.—Pare and halve the melon, remove the soft part, and cut the outer part into small but rather thick slices. Place them in a preserving-pan between layers of vine leaves, barely cover with cold water, and cook, keeping the preparation just below simmering point, until half cooked. Drain, cover with cold water and let it remain thus for 3 hours, changing the water twice. Boil the sugar and a pint of water to a syrup (more may be required for a large melon, but the quantity should be increased without altering the proportions), place the slices of melon carefully in it, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Drain the melon from the syrup, spread it on a dish in the sun for 3 hours, then repeat the process. The process is repeated for the third time after another interval of 3 hours, but before putting the melon into the syrup for the last time it should be flavoured to taste with ground ginger and lemon-juice, and boiled for a few minutes. Lift the slices of melon carefully into pots, pour the syrup over, cover closely, and store in a dry cool place.

Time.—About 12 hours.