FRIED RABBIT & COLLARD GREENS

FRIED RABBIT

1 rabbit, cleaned and cut in 6 pieces (cut off front legs at shoulders,
back legs at hips, and separate ribs from loin)
1/3 c. lard
1 c. flour seasoned with :
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. red pepper
1 c. beef stock or water
1 tbs. cider vinegar
2/3 c. cream for gravy

Heat lard in heavy frying pan until good and hot. Mix flour with salt and peppers and dredge rabbit in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Put in pan meaty side down and fry up until browned, turning once to brown both sides. Pour off fat if there is too much; add onion, stock and vinegar and put to simmer for about 1 hour or until rabbit is tender. Remove rabbit from pan and keep warm; pour cream into skillet and stir constantly, scraping up any bits stuck to pan, until thickened as desired, about 8-10 minutes. Serve over rabbit.

COLLARD GREENS

3 c. water
1 ham hock
1 tbs. sugar
1 tsp.. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3-4 bunches collard greens. Can also use mustard or other greens.

Note to federal troops, if your regiment has been afflicted with a shipment of desiccated vegetables that look at least a little bit green, you can use them as in this recipe. It will not be the same, Lord knows, but will bring those vile vegetables as close to edibility as can be managed.

Put water and ham hock into pot and hang over fire to boil. Then move off the fire a little and let it to simmer for an hour or so. Wash the greens with good water, cold if possible. Tear stem off each leaf and tear remainder up into bite sized pieces. Check ham hock; if too much water is boiled off add enough to cover it again and move pan further off the fire next time. When everything is up to a simmer again add the greens, salt pepper and sugar. Simmer 45 min. to an hour or until greens are tender enough to eat.

-Submitted by Emily Burns