Skin the hare carefully and make an incision along the belly.
Clear out the intestines.
Clean out the fore quarter end carefully collecting all the blood into a basin.
Cut as follows:
- each leg into two pieces.
- each foreleg into two pieces.
- the forequarter into two,
- the saddle into three or four pieces.
Soak in a marinade as for venison ie 5 hours, but substitute the red wine with vinegar.
Drain well in a colander.
Quickly fry the pieces of hare until brown on all sides.
Mix in the tomato puree.
Gradually add the stock.
Add all the juice and vegetables and herbs from the marinade.
Bring to the boil, skim, add the garlic.
Cover with a lid and allow to simmer till tender.
Pick out the hare into a clean pan.
Reboil the sauce, correct the seasoning and thicken by gradually pouring in the blood(after which it must not be reboiled.
Pass through a strainer on to the hare.
Meanwhile prepare the garnish by cooking the onions, mushroom whole or in quarters in a little stock and cutting the bacon into strips and brown lightly in little fat in a pan.
Cut the bread into pretty shape croutons and fry to a golden brown.
Mix the garnish with the civet, serve in a dish , dip the point of the crouton into the sauce, then into chopped parsley and place on the edge of the dish.
Red currant jelly may be spread on the shaped croutons.