Yesterday, I accidentally created the best gravy recipe on the face of the earth. So before I forget how I did it, I am writing it up in the hopes that you will try it, too and enjoy it as much as I did! This is a turkey and mushroom gravy and is made in a way that is similar to traditional Thanksgiving gravies. The thickener here is not a rue, but a stock and flour mix. And yes, the mushrooms are a critical component here...if you don't like mushrooms, then this is not the gravy for you.
Here's how it all came down:
I had a just roasted turkey, so I drained the pain into a gravy separator, then deglazed the pan with about a half cup of dry white wine and set aside.
In a large sauce pan, I sauteed fresh, chopped chanterelle mushrooms in olive oil and 3 tablespoons of butter, over medium high heat. I cooked until they started to caramelize, then removed them from the pan and set aside. I deglazed the pan with the separated drippings, scraping up every bit of deliciousness, then added the white wine mixture from the turkey pan.
Next, I added the following:
3 cups of chicken stock
1/2 (or so) cup of dry white wine
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning (bay, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary)
1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning (celery salt, sage, marjoram)
2 cloves of roasted garlic
cracked black pepper
I let this simmer together while I made the thickening mixture. I would suggest not adding salt at this point since the stock and poultry seasoning both have it. If needed, adjust for flavor at the end of cooking.
In a container with a lid, add 1/4 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of stock. Give it a good shake until well combined and pour about half of the mixture in the pan while whisking. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let thicken. If needed, add additional thickener...but be aware that too much of a good thing isn't so good anymore (at least in this case). Let it cook for a good 5-10 minutes on a low setting to ensure that the flour has a chance to cook...I mean, who wants to get a mouthful of raw flour? Stir in the mushrooms and you are ready to serve!
Reflecting back, I think there is one additional ingredient that I would add. Next time, I will caramelize a couple of leeks and add to the mix. Though any member of the onion family could be used, leeks have a spectacular flavor that would be a great component for this gravy.
