It's all gravy now

Everyday Kitchen -

Last week, while meeting with colleagues in Calgary over a nice dinner, the conversation turned to gravy. Who knew the topic was so controversial? Texas, Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador were defended vigorously, each as the last great bastion of gravy purity.

I say, if at least 100 people somewhere in the world pour a hot, viscous liquid over their food, then it's gravy and I'll try it. But of course, our version is still the best, so let's start there.

Best turkey or chicken gravy

If you have ever eaten gluey, tasteless muck on top of your potatoes, then pay attention. The most important trick is taking full advantage of the residue on the bottom of the roaster. By frying the giblets and neck you enhance the flavour even further. While you can do without the wine and broth, I have to say they are worth the effort. I understand not wanting to go that extra step for a Tuesday-night chicken, but if you have invested in an expensive fresh turkey, then please go all out. This recipe is geared towards a chicken. For a turkey, multiply by three. Last note: I use unsalted butter for the roux because you can't remove salt from gravy once it's made. If you don't have unsalted, then taste the liquid before you thicken it. If it's already salty enough, use vegetable or olive oil instead of salted butter to make the roux.

Ingredients

1 chicken, completely thawed if frozen

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. soft butter or margarine (divided)

1 tsp. each salt and pepper (divided)

1 tsp. savoury (divided)

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 each large carrot, celery stalk, and onion, coarsely chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

several sprigs each fresh thyme and parsley

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup flour

Method

Remove and reserve giblets and neck. Rinse cavity of chicken thoroughly and dry well with paper towels. Stuff if you wish then rub the outside with 1 tbsp. of the soft butter. Sprinkle on half the salt, pepper, and savory and place on a rack in a roaster. Roast as you normally do. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot and add reserved giblets and neck. Fry until very dark brown. Add carrot, celery, onion and remaining savoury and continue to cook until vegetables are golden brown. Add broth, wine, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and remaining salt and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 to 2 hours - as long as you can. When the chicken is cooked, remove it to a warm place while you make the gravy. Discard most of the chicken fat then pour the giblets, neck and liquid mixture they were cooked in, into the roaster and boil, stirring, until all the brown bits are dissolved. Strain the mixture back into the pot and bring to a boil. Melt butter and flour together in the microwave, stirring to combine. Whisk into boiling liquid, using just enough to give the consistency you are looking for. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Best mushroom beef gravy

This is the best sauce ever to serve with a steak. It's also fabulous in a steak pie and makes the best poutine you have ever tasted. It's getting harder and harder to find beef bones, so I often resort to short ribs. They are so expensive, however, that I make two meals. The braised ribs I serve with bread and butter and little stolen gravy for lunch the next day - pick the thickest ones you can find, not the flat ones. The secrets in this recipe are using the dried mushrooms to boost flavour and cooking the tomato paste until it is really brown. Wine is key in this one, as well.

Ingredients

1 oz. dried mushrooms (any you like)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 to 2 lbs. beef short ribs or bone-in roast

1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper

4 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely diced

3 cups fresh sliced white mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups beef broth

2 cups dry red wine

leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme, finely minced

4 sprigs fresh parsley

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

1/2 cup each butter (preferably unsalted) and flour

Method

Before you start, soak dried mushrooms in boiling water for 15 to 30 minutes. Fish them out and mince them finely with a knife or in a food processor; set aside. Reserve the soaking liquid - if it seems gritty, strain through a coffee filter or a piece of cheesecloth. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. In a dutch oven, fry meat in half the vegetable oil in small batches, browning each one thoroughly; set aside. Add onion and cook until brown; set aside. Add remaining oil to pot and add mushrooms. Fry until moisture is released and evaporates and mushrooms are brown. Add garlic and cook a couple of minutes. Return meat and onions to pot and add broth, wine, thyme, parsley and rosemary. Stir to dissolve all the nice brown bits on bottom of the pot. Stir in minced dried mushrooms and soaking liquid. Cover and bake at 325 degrees F 2 hours; simmer on top of the stove if you prefer. Remove the meat from the liquid and fish out the herb stalks. Melt butter and flour together in the microwave, stirring to combine. Whisk into boiling liquid, using just enough to give the consistency you like. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Southern style red gravy

My co-worker from the South put red gravy on the table as his kitchen contender. Although I stand staunchly behind our old-fashioned pan gravy, I admit to a fondness for this mixture on top of biscuits and eggs for breakfast. This recipe has the advantage of not requiring any roasted meat, although it is worth frying up some bacon to go with breakfast. I'm not even sure it is gravy, but I won't quibble because it tastes good.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. each butter or margarine and bacon fat (or use all butter)

2 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup evapourated milk (2 per cent or skim will work)

dash hot pepper sauce

Method

Heat butter and bacon fat together in a heavy pot and whisk in the flour. Add honey, salt, pepper and tomatoes and bring to a low simmer. Slowly stir milk into thickening mixture - don't boil vigorously. Stir in hot sauce and it's ready to be poured over toast and eggs, ham, sausages or bacon to create what can only be described as a hearty breakfast.

Cynthia Stone is a writer, editor and teacher in St. John's. Questions may be sent to her c/o The Telegram, P.O. Box 5970, St. John's, NL, A1C 5X7.