Ingredients for Hare Soup:

1 hare, skinned, cleaned, cut into pieces
40g / 1½ oz seasoned flour
60g / 2½ oz butter
2 large onions, peeled, chopped
75g / 3 oz unsmoked streaky bacon, chopped
3 – 4 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 – 3 sprigs of parsley
2 – 3 sprigs of thyme
1.5 litres / 2½ pints beef stock, hot
50ml / 2 fl oz port

Instructions for Making Hare Soup:

1. Wash the hare pieces in salt, rinsing thoroughly and drying before cooking.
2. Dip the hare in the flour and brown all over in 40g / 1½ oz butter in a solid pan. (You will need to do this in batches.) Remove and gently fry the onions and bacon in the remaining butter for about 10 minutes then add the carrots and celery. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes then add the herbs, hot stock and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, skim if necessary, cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours (an older, tougher hare will need longer – about 3 hours.)
3. Remove the hare pieces and, once cool enough to handle, tear the meat into small pieces. Liquidise the soup – in batches – and return to the soup pan with the meat. Stir in the port, reheat, add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Once it is hot, check if it needs any extra port – a final splash would not go amiss.

(Recipe courtesy of Susan Lawrence)