We admit this is a Thanksgiving-inspired contest (the first of 3!), but any gravy is welcome to the party -- not just turkey. Feel free to include cooking instructions for the gravy's base, or just skip to the technique, assuming we already have a panful of brown bits at the ready.
These are not your usual contests. We have a slightly nutty system but it works. Together, the Food52 community has created two cookbooks this way -- there’s no stopping us now. Read about it
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Assorted dried mushrooms, soy sauce, butter, light cream, sherry, fresh thyme, shallot & flour.
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Amanda pours the vegetable stock into a pan, to warm together with the dried mushrooms. (Thankfully, she has impeccable aim.)
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Assorted dried mushrooms will fortify the vegetable stock with meaty umami flavor.
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Stripping thyme leaves -- some people think it's a chore, we find it meditative.
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Amanda sends the mushrooms into the warmed stock.
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Shallots, neatly minced.
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Thyme, nice and fine. Now your prep is done!
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Amanda and Merrill are raring to go.
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Mushrooms from the deep.
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The mushrooms have plumped -- reserve these to chop up later.
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Shallots bubble away.
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Then the flour is added and cooked for 2 minutes (till you can smell it toasting).
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The stock gets added slowly, in stages, stirring all the while.
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Don't fear the initial lumpiness...
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... it'll soon go slack and smooth.
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We chopped up the reconstituted mushooms and tossed them back in the gravy at the end.
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Light cream is called for, but any cream or even milk will do (or more stock, if you've got vegans in the house).
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Soy sauce blots that remind us of a Rorschacht test (we see a banana slug -- anyone else?).
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Clouds in our gravy.
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Minced mushooms go back in now...
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... along with a scattering of thyme and a dose of sherry (not pictured).
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Done!
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Aside from the drippings and some stock, all you need is cider, sage, flour, salt and pepper.
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We used 3 tablespoons of drippings from this gorgeous bird!
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A bouquet of fresh sage.
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ChrisandAmy say to infuse the sage into the drippings until the sage leaves start to stick to the pan.
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When ours wilted in the small pan, we figured they'd probably infused the drippings nicely.
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We used a local cider from Red Jacket Orchards.
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ChrisandAmy have you make a slurry with the flour and chicken stock before adding it to the gravy base.
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A slow, steady stream and constant whisking ensure a lump-free gravy!
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The same is true for adding the slurry to the base: slow and setady.
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Merrill has a visitor...
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After a few minutes of simmering, the gravy thickens up nicely.
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We strained out the sage leaves before tasting it, but if you make this gravy right in the roasting pan, just remove them with some tongs -- you don't want to lose the brown bits!
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