All Purpose Gravy

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Pre-Notes

This gravy can be served with almost any type of meat or poultry or with mashed potatoes. If you would like to double the recipe, use a Dutch oven to give the vegetables ample space for browning and increase the cooking times by roughly 50 percent.

The finished gravy can be frozen. To thaw either a single or double recipe, place the gravy and 1 tablespoon of water in a saucepan over low heat and bring slowly to a simmer. The gravy may appear broken or curdled as it thaws, but a vigorous whisking will recombine it.

Ingredients

1. 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped into rough 1/2 in pieces (about 1/2 c)
2. 1 small celery rib, chopped into rough 1/2 in pieces (about 1/2 c)
3. 1 small onion, chopped into 1/2 in pieces (about 3/4 c)
4. 3 T unsalted butter
5. 1/4 c flour
6. 2 c chicken broth, reduced sodium
7. 2 c beef broth, reduced sodium
8. 1 bay leaf
9. 1/4 t dried thyme
10. 5 whole black peppercorns
11. salt to taste
12. pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In food processor, pulse carrot until broken into rough 1/4 inch pieces, about five 1 second pulses.
2. Add celery and onion; pulse until all vegetables are broken into 1/8 inch pieces, about five 1second pulses.
3. Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and well browned, about 7 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
5. Whisking constantly, gradually add chicken broth and beef broth; bring to boil, skimming off any foam that forms on surface.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 3 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer into clean saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
8. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve hot.