SPECIAL GRAVY

For every day cooking I tend to use packet gravy mix. For special
occasions or when impressing visitors then I use this recipe as it
produces a great gravy full of body and taste. It does take a little
time to prepare so make it in advance and keep it in a gravy boat
and heat before serving.
Ingredients:
50g or 2oz of beef dripping (or use about ¾ cup of juices from
cooked beef).
1 finely chopped onion
2 large rashers of bacon that has had its rind removed
2 tablespoons of dry sherry
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 finely chopped carrot
50g or 2 oz plain flour
1 bouquet garni
1 tablespoon tomato puree
600ml or 1 pint of beef or lamb or pork stock (use stock cubes).
1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper
Method:
1. Chop the bacon into small pieces
2. Melt the dripping in a saucepan and keep it liquid.
3. Now add the onion pieces, bacon pieces and carrot pieces and
fry in the dripping in the saucepan until the onions are light
brown. This should take about 10 minutes maximum on a medium
heat.
4. Add the sherry and the vinegar and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Carefully blend in the flour, adding a little at a time to prevent
lumps forming, and stir until this mixture goes brown. This will
take about 10 minutes.
6. Pour in half of the stock, stirring all the time. Keep heating on a
medium heat and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken.
7. Bring the mixture to the boil and add the bouquet garni leaving
the pan to simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
8. Stir in the tomato puree, the other half of the stock and the
pepper. Add salt to taste.
9. When you are happy with the taste then strain through a gauze
or plastic (never a metal) sieve to remove any lumps / the garni /
carrot and onion pieces.
10.Let the resulting gravy stand in a dish or gravy boat and
pour off any fat or grease from the surface. Keep warm (do
not cook) and place in the gravy boat for serving at the table.