Frozen game birds always seem to be wasting freezer space rather than making delicious suppers at this point in the season. Rather than groaning at another full bag destined to go unused, learn how to make this game soup and use up all of your frozen stock in one go.

For more inspiration on how to use your frozen game birds, try our Lebanese pheasant broth.

QUERY: I have a mixed batch of game carcasses in the freezer including pigeon and grouse. I am keen to make game soup and have experimented rather unsuccessfully. Can you recommend a recipe?
WB, Oxfordshire

FROZEN GAME BIRDS: HOW TO USE THEM

It is important that game soup has a good depth of flavour to ensure it is actually soup and not a glorified stock.

Take four frozen game birds, which can include pheasant, grouse, partridge, pigeon or woodcock, and roughly chop. In a large saucepan heat two tablespoons of dripping and fry 125g of chopped streaky bacon. When browned, add one large, finely chopped onion, two large, chopped carrots and two sliced celery sticks. Continue cooking for five minutes, then add the chopped carcasses and cook for a further five minutes.

In a separate pan place a litre of chicken or vegetable stock, a glass of port, a glass of red wine and a tablespoon of brandy, bring to the boil and pour over the carcasses. Add a tablespoon of tomato purée, two cloves of chopped garlic, a couple of bay leaves, a few sprigs of thyme and parsley, a tablespoon of spicy chutney, a pinch of salt and pepper and one or two large wine glasses of water.

Gently simmer for an hour and a half. Strain the soup through a large colander to collect the larger pieces of the carcass and then strain through a fine sieve. Pour the soup into a clean pan and bring it to a gentle boil. Add 100g of pearl barley and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the barley is tender. This should serve four people.