| TRADITIONAL
ENGLISH RECIPES SPECIAL GRAVY
For every day
cooking I tend to use packet gravy mix. For special occasions or when
impressing
visitors then I use this recipe as it produces a great gravy full of
body
and taste. It does take a little time to prepare so make it in advance
and keep it in a gravy boat and heat before serving.
Ingredients:
50g or 2oz
of beef dripping (or use about ¾ cup of juices from cooked
beef).
1 finely chopped
onion
2 large rashers
of bacon that has had its rind removed
2 tablespoons
of dry sherry
2 tablespoons
vinegar
1 finely chopped
carrot
50g or 2 oz
plain flour
1 bouquet garni
1 tablespoon
tomato puree
600ml or 1
pint of beef or lamb or pork stock (use stock cubes).
1 teaspoon
of coarse ground black pepper
Method:
1. Chop the
bacon into small pieces
2. Melt the
dripping in a saucepan and keep it liquid.
3. Now add
the onion pieces, bacon pieces and carrot pieces and fry in the
dripping
in the saucepan until the onions are light brown. This should take
about
10 minutes maximum on a medium heat.
4. Add the
sherry and the vinegar and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Carefully
blend in the flour, adding a little at a time to prevent lumps forming,
and stir until this mixture goes brown. This will take about 10 minutes.
6. Pour in
half of the stock, stirring all the time. Keep heating on a medium heat
and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken.
7. Bring the
mixture to the boil and add the bouquet garni leaving the pan to simmer
on a low heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
8. Stir in
the tomato puree, the other half of the stock and the pepper. Add salt
to taste.
9. When you
are happy with the taste then strain through a gauze or plastic (never
a metal) sieve to remove any lumps / the garni / carrot and onion
pieces.
10. Let the
resulting gravy stand in a dish or gravy boat and pour off any fat or
grease
from the surface. Keep warm (do not cook) and place in the gravy boat
for
serving at the table. |
