Ingredients:
• 1 stick unsalted butter • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion • 1/4 cup flour • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper • 2 cups hot chicken or turkey stock (with or without pan drippings) • 1 tablespoon white wine (optional) • 1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional, but recommended)Preparation:
1. In a large sauté pan (10 to 12 inch), cook the
butter and onions over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don’t rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well-cooked.
2. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, and then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock mixture and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Add the wine and cream, if desired. Season to taste, and serve. If you prefer smooth gravy, whirl it (in small batches) in a blender before serving.
Chocolate Gravy
Chocolate gravy puts a sweet spin on a Southern staple.
I am saddened that after nearly a decade of living south of the Ohio River, this recipe (considered a Southern staple) didn’t cross my radar until now. Where’s the chocolate gravy in Kentucky?
Ingredients:
• 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder • 2 tablespoons flour • 1 cup granulated sugar • 1 1/2 cups whole milk • 4 tablespoons butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
1. In a medium sauce pan, whisk together cocoa, flour and sugar. Pour in the milk and whisk vigorously until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Heat over medium-high until it begins to bubble.
2. Turn heat down to medium and stir until mixture has thickened to a gravy consistency.
3. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm over biscuits.
Gravy Demystified
Finding the consistency: The thickness or thinness of gravy is a very personal matter. Thankfully, whichever way you prefer yours, it’s easy to achieve the right results. Although flour is the natural thickener for gravy, refrain from adding more flour into finished gravy to thicken it up – disastrous results will occur. The flour will immediately clump and float to the top and there will not be enough time in the day to smash all of those flour balls with a fork to make the gravy smooth again (believe me, in my younger gravy-making years, this was a repeat offense.) The trick is to incorporate the flour through a smooth paste of flour and butter. Bring the gravy to a boil and gradually whisk the flour-butter paste into the gravy until you get your desired thickness. Heat the gravy for another 3 to 5 minutes to “cook” the flour taste out of the end result.
Create pan juices for gravy: Nothing is more frustrating than the need to make gravy for Thanksgiving dinner and then realizing when the turkey comes out of the oven there are no juices in the bottom of the pan (don’t confuse pan juices with the fat floating around under the turkey). To create juices, try adding stock to the turkey pan before cooking. As the juices from the turkey are released during cooking, they will incorporate into the stock and give you nice, flavorful pan juices to have on hand for gravy.
Dress it up: Many times gravy can go from good to great with the small addition of an unexpected ingredient. Although most would consider themselves gravy purists, don’t be afraid to take a walk on the wild side with one of these great flavors: caramelized onions, heavy whipping cream, sherry wine, country ham (chopped), fresh herbs (rosemary, tarragon, sage), stout beer, sausage crumbles, mushrooms and even stout beer.
