We used ingredients high in umami -- the fifth taste after sweet, sour, salt and bitter -- to create a super savory gravy for veggie lovers.
Directions for: Vegetarian Gravy
Ingredients
1 medium onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms (about 1 heaping cup)
6 sprigs thyme
2 sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 dried bay leaf
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 fresh sage leaves
cup all-purpose flour
cup chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Position an oven rack in the top position in the oven and preheat to 450F. Toss the onions, celery, carrots and garlic with the oil and 1 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the vegetables are charred in some places, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Bring the roasted vegetables, 1 cup water, mushrooms, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, soy sauce, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is gone, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 6 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring back to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and gently simmer until reduced by about one third, about 45 minutes. Strain the stock through a strainer into a large liquid measuring cup, use the back of a ladle to squeeze all the liquid out of the solids (there should be about 4 cups of stock). If not making gravy right away, let the stock cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
3. To make the gravy, warm the stock slightly in a medium saucepan if it has been refrigerated. Melt the butter in another medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage leaves, and stir for 30 seconds; remove and set aside. Add the flour to the saucepan, and stir until smooth and lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the warm stock while whisking constantly until smooth and thick, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Chop up the fried sage, stir it into the gravy along with the parsley and season to taste with pepper.
Tips and Substitutions
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups gravy
Source and Credits
Courtesy of Food Network Kitchen.
Copyright 2014 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
See more: Holiday/Event, Low-Carb, Low-Fat, Thanksgiving, Vegetables, Vegetarian