Gravy

You will need

fat from a roast, or can use butter
flour
stock either from previously made stock, veg water or a stock cube and hot water
mixed herbs
optional
ingredients 		onions
chilli jelly or cranberry jelly
red wine

Method

To make a decent gravy, you need good ingredients.  Stock can be ideally from previously made stock, but can also be from a stock cube and boiling water (either from a kettle, or – even better – from water being used to cook vegetables.

The fat should ideally be from around the roast, as that will contain all the flavour of the meat, but in the absence of all of that you can use butter.

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and if making onion gravy you can add the onions at this point, cooking them very slowly until they are thoroughly cooked.
  2. Stir in a tablespoon of flour until it is all absorbed by the fat.
  3. Add the stock, a little at a time, whilst stirring.  The more you stir, the less chance there is of getting lumps.  If you start getting lumps, keep stirring until they are beaten out, then add more liquid.
  4. Add the herbs (and optional red wine), and simmer gently until the gravy thickens.
  5. If it is the right consistency, but the wrong colour, you can add a teaspoon of Bisto to darken it down.  The Bisto will also cause it thicken up.
  6. Add chilli or cranberry jelly shortly before serving and stir in for additional flavour.

Red Onion Marmelade

Ingredients

2 kg red onions (or regular), halved and thinly sliced.
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
140 g butter
4 tbsp olive oil
140 g golden caster sugar
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
pinch chilli flakes (optional)
70 cl red wine
350 ml sherry (or red wine) vinegar
200 ml port

Method

  1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat.
  2. Add the onions and garlic and give them a good stir so they are glossed with butter.
  3. Sprinkle over the sugar, thyme leaves, chilli flakes and some salt and pepper.
  4. Give everything another really good stir and reduce the heat slightly.
  5. Cook uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions are ready when all their juices have evaporated, they're really soft and sticky and smell of sugar caramelising. They should be so soft that they break when pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Slow cooking is the secret of really soft and sticky onions, so don't rush this part.
  6. Pour in the wine, vinegar and port and simmer everything, still uncovered, over a high heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every so often until the onions are a deep mahogany colour and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds. It's done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan clears a path that fills rapidly with syrupy juice.
  7. Leave the onions to cool in the pan, then scoop into sterilised jars and seal.