A good gravy can make a meal and is absolutely essential for any Christmas in July celebration.
Traditional gravy is made using the pan juices from roasting meat. Flour is added to the baking tray and stirred vigorously over heat to incorporate all the bits and cook the flour. Small amounts of water are added gradually until the desired consistency is reached. Unfortunately, if you don’t have a baking tray with juices and tasty little caramelised bits, gravy cannot be made this way. There is another way to make gravy, without packet mixes and even without a roast.
Mix ¼ cup of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of bouillon powder or a stock cube (use whatever flavour goes with what you are putting the gravy on). Add enough water to make a runny paste without lumps, then add small quantities of additional water or stock, stirring continuously over medium heat until it thickens. Keep adding water or stock until the desired consistency is obtained. To boost flavour, meat juices or tomato juice can be added for red meat gravy in place of some of the water. This is my version of packet gravy. Be careful about lumps and add liquid slowly at first.
Homemade ‘Chicken’ Bouillon (which I use in everything and contains no chicken!): This makes a large batch that can be stored in a glass jar. Combine 1 cup nutritional yeast, 3 tbsp garlic powder, 3 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp celery salt, 3 tbsp dried oregano, 3 tbsp dried basil, 1 tbsp ground black pepper and 3 tbsp dried parsley, then blend all ingredients in a processor or blender until well combined. This recipe is adapted from one I found on Instagram and has become one of my favourites. There are recipes for ‘beef’ bouillon, but I have not found them to be as good. Stock paste can also be homemade and used, although I find it quicker and easier to use the recipe given here, and as it is a dry mix, it stores well. The pictured gravy was made with this chicken bouillon recipe, and the juices left in the tray after cooking the chicken were added at the end to enhance the flavour.
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