Picture this... a gorgeous Sunday roast with all the trimmings, beautifully roasted meat, perfectly cooked veggies, crispy roasties, golden Yorkshire puddings and a delicious homemade gravy.... got everything down except the gravy? Well you've come to the right place... I know the home cook of the house that's in charge of the epic Sunday roast puts so much effort into everything else, why stop at the gravy.. Home made gravy really isn't as complicated as it sounds but I promise you will notice the difference and you'll lap up all the well deserved compliments around the dinner table.
Prep time 5mins
Cooking time 30mins
2tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and roughly diced
2 garlic cloves, squashed with the back of a spoon.
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1.5tsp of dried
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
2 tbsp butter
1.5tbsp plain flour
300ml red wine
600ml beef stock
1tbsp honey
1tbsp red wine vinegar
In a deep frying pan, heat the olive oil on a medium heat.
Add the shallots, crushed garlic cloves and thyme and gently sauté for 8-10mins until nicely cooked, stirring every now and again.
Now add the salt, pepper and 1tbsp of butter, cook for 1 minute.
Once the butter has melted add the plain flour and cook for 3mins, stirring often until the flour is cooked out.
Now add the red wine and turn the heat up, this will allow the alcohol to cook out of the wine, about 2 mins.
Once the wine has reduced by half (this will happen quicker then normal because the flour will thicken it) add the beef stock, honey and red wine vinegar.
Lower the heat to medium and again allow the liquid to reduce by half.
After it has reduced strain the liquid through a sieve, and into a small saucepan.
Have a taste and tweak the seasoning, you may want to add a little more sweetness (honey) if it tastes a little sharp for your taste, but only add very little at a time, don't forget the golden rule, you can always add more but you can never take it back out.
You can leave your delicious homemade gravy to one side and heat gently when required or use it straight away, either way a few mins before you need it, pop it onto a low heat and add the second tbsp of butter and stir until it has melted in, this will enrich your gravy and give it a real silky finish.
This is a gorgeous base for a luxury cottage pie to, see my other recipe.
