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Onion gravy
Serves Enough for a medium turkey Sauces and accompaniments
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 5tbsp olive oil
- 6 banana shallots
- 14 whole chicken wings giblets from a turkey
- 4 small carrots
- 2 ribs celery
- 1⁄2 garlic head
- 4 bay leaves
- 12 black peppercorns
- 20g dried mushrooms, such as porcini
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 2 heaped tbsp redcurrant jelly
- 3tbsp dry Marsala or Madeira
Method
Peel the onion, cut it in half then slice into thin segments. Warm 3tbsp of the olive oil in a deep pan, add the onion and leave to cook over a low heat, stirring regularly. Let the onion cook for a good 20 minutes until sweet, golden brown and very soft.
Peel and halve the shallots. Warm the remaining oil in a shallow pan and fry the shallots for 5 minutes or so, until nicely browned. Remove the shallots from the shallots from the pan, then add the chicken wings and let them brown, introducing any of the giblets you like towards the end.
Scrub the carrots and slice them in half. Roughly chop the celery, then add the carrots, celery and garlic to the onions, together with shallots and wings, the bay leaves, peppercorns, dried mushrooms, thyme and 1 litre water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat so the liquid simmers gently and leave for two hours. Check regularly to make sure the gravy doesn’t boil.
Strain the gravy through a sieve, then bring to the boil in a saucepan, stirring in the redcurrant jelly and the Marsala or Madeira. Leave to cool, then refrigerate. The next day, check the seasoning, adding salt as necessary, and serve, piping hot, with your Christmas dinner.
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