A Conscious Feast by Nicole Aloni

Caramelized Pan Gravy Recipe

I created this method of producing gravy as a balm to all of my friends and students who regard the preparation of Thanksgiving gravy as a Rubicon they must cross each November. Seriously. I have never been to a Thanksgiving meal in someone else’s home (since I’ve been older than 12) where I have not been begged by the overwrought host,”Please, please could  you just make the gravy?” Clearly this is the tipping point for the occasional host.

I don’t know if this is the result of too much lumpy gravy in their past, or just the fact that it’s only prepared once a year. Whatever. I have solid evidence that gravy-making is the last straw for most people hosting a Thanksgiving meal (or any other time an à la minute sauce must be produced).

This revolutionary way to make a thick gravy is the solution; The complex flavors of the slowly roasted vegetables and garlic from the pan in this recipe produce a delightful sauce. Actually, calling this gravy hardly does the robust flavor justice. And there’s no tricky flour-browning step to complicate matters.

Give this gravy a try with the Maple-Glazed Thanksgiving Turkey. Yum!

EASE OF PREPARATION: A snap

Makes about 2 cups of gravy

• 1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
• 1/2 cup Madeira
• 1/2 to 1 cup homemade chicken stock or store-bought organic,low-sodium chicken broth

1. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked vegetables from the roasting pan to a bowl. Discard the bay leaf. Purée the vegetables in food processor or blender and set aside.
2. Set the roasting pan on the stove, across 2 burners. Tip the pan to collect the liquids in the corner. Spoon off all visible fat.
3. Raise the heat to medium under the pan. When the pan starts to sizzle, add the white wine and use a spoon or whisk to stir up and dissolve the brown bits sticking to the sides and bottom.
4. When all of these cooking solids are melted into the wine, stir in 1/2 cup (or more) of the roasted vegetable purée. Let simmer to thicken 4 to 5 minutes, add Madeira and chicken stock, and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the gravy is too thin, add a little more vegetable purée and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes to blend and achieve the thickness that you prefer.