Christmas Soup

We know it's only November but it's been very foggy and cold today and we wanted to call it Christmas soup so there!!

Ingredients (makes 2 whopping bowls):

1 pheasant, roasted and the meat removed from the carcass (we only used half the meat and are using the rest for a pie)

4 rashers of smoked pancetta

1 carrot

1 onion

2 sticks of celery

1 clove of garlic

6 chestnut mushrooms

a handful of cooked chestnuts

a couple of handfuls of kale

800 ml beef stock

50ml marsala

1 tbl sp redcurrant jelly

pinch of dried thyme

1 bay leaf

olive oil

salt and pepper

• Chop the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and fry in a large non stick saucepan for a couple of minutes in olive oil.
• Dice the pancetta and mushrooms and add them to the pan.
• Once the pancetta has browned, add the pheasant carcass to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes, turning the carcass every so often.
• Meanwhile, in another large pan warm the beef stock through and add the marsala, redcurrant jelly, bay and thyme.
• Pour the stock over the sauteed veg and pheasant carcass and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the carcass.
• Turn the heat down to a low simmer and add the reserved pheasant meat.
• After another 5 minutes add the kale and chestnuts. Simmer for a further 5 minutes, season to taste and then serve in warm bowls.