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The Hallaton Bottle Kicking Legend Many years ago, the local legend says, two ladies were chased across a great field by a bull. The bull was distracted by a bolting hare, and the ladies escaped. In thanks, the ladies gave land to the Rector. In return he was to provide the villagers on each Easter Monday with a service and sermon, two hare pies, two dozen penny-loaves and a quantity of ale. The ancient field name “Hare Crop Leys” may lie at the heart of this legend. Hares are still abundant in the fields around the village.
Hare Pie Recipe (1805) Ingredients for a 20 lb. Pie 8 lb. hare meat (of 4 goodly hare) 4 1/2 lb. short crust pastry 2 lb. butter 3 lb. rich forcemeat* 3 pt. water 1 lb. ox liver 1 oz. ground nutmeg 1/2 bt. red wine 2 oz. salt 1 1/2 pt. rich gravy 1/2 oz. fine pepper Bone well all the hare, cut into pieces and season with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Jug it with the butter. It must do for 2 hours close covered in a pot of boiling water. Make up forcemeat to which add the liver bruised and the red wine. Let it all be high seasoned then lay it around the inside of the raised crust. Put in the hare and gravy mix when cool, adding more rich gravy. Set on the pastry lid, decorate and bake in a hot oven for 2 to 3 hours taking care the crust does not harden and burn. Serve hot or cold. *For 3 lb. forcemeat 3 lb. leg of veal 1/2 lb. shallots 1/2 doz. chopped oysters 1/4 oz nutmeg 1/4 lb. beef suet 3 cloves 3 eggs 1/4 oz. mace 1/2 lb. flour salt 4 anchovies pepper Chop the veal finely into a basin with the oysters, anchovies, shallots, suet, seasoning, flour and spices. Add the beaten eggs and work the whole mix with wine to make a soft dough. (Translations to metric measures: 1 lb (pound) = 450g, 1 oz. (ounce) = 28g, 1 pt (pint) = 550ml, 1 doz. (dozen) = 12, 1 bt (bottle) = 750ml) |
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Ancient roots Further information |
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