Gravy is one of those things that can make a simple meal taste really delicious. It adds umami flavour, and moisture, and it can make a plate of steamed vegetables into a meal.
In our house, one of our favourite easy-peasy meals is Mashed Potato & Kumara, steamed broccoli, and gravy. In winter especially, it is like a warm hug, filling and easy to prepare. To make sure I am ready, I make this gravy in a bulk session, then freeze it in meal sized portions. That way, we are only ever 15-20 minutes away from a hearty meal, which is wonderful if you find yourself feeling uninspired or short of time.
In the past, we used packet gravies to make this meal. But the more I learned about salt, the more I realised that I wanted to find an option that wasn't so salt laden.
What I was trying to do when I created this gravy was to use whole vegetables. Normally gravy is made from flavours extracted from other things, traditionally roasted meat. So, this is a thick gravy, with the main umami flavour coming from the miso, coconut aminos and mushrooms. If you are not a fan of mushrooms, don't be put off. You can't tell they are there once this is blended into the gravy. The sherry is important for adding an underlying richness and sweetness to the gravy. You could try substituting it with wine, or with stock.
Add the mushrooms and boiling water to a small bowl. Allow to stand until the mushrooms have reconstituted, and become soft.
Add onions and sherry to a large saucepan. Cook on high until the sherry is boiling, then turn down to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened.
Add the garlic, carrots, miso, coconut aminos, mushrooms (including the soaking liquid) and vegetable stock. Cook, uncovered, until the carrots are very soft. Stir occassionally.
Using a stick blender, blend the gravy to a smooth consistency. Do not rush this. It is important to keep blending until the gravy becomes super smooth and glossy. If the gravy is too thick, add extra stock.
Serve immediately, or store it in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to three months. Store it in meal size portions in the freezer.
This is the sherry I use. It is available from Countdown. I like using it in this dish, as it gives the gravy a sweet richness. But you can substitute it for wine, or for stock. See what suits your taste buds.
For the dried mushrooms, you can use any that you have available, or that you like. I usually use mixed mushrooms, found in the Asian section of the supermarket, because they are well priced and readily available.
Ingredients
Directions
Add the mushrooms and boiling water to a small bowl. Allow to stand until the mushrooms have reconstituted, and become soft.
Add onions and sherry to a large saucepan. Cook on high until the sherry is boiling, then turn down to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened.
Add the garlic, carrots, miso, coconut aminos, mushrooms (including the soaking liquid) and vegetable stock. Cook, uncovered, until the carrots are very soft. Stir occassionally.
Using a stick blender, blend the gravy to a smooth consistency. Do not rush this. It is important to keep blending until the gravy becomes super smooth and glossy. If the gravy is too thick, add extra stock.
Serve immediately, or store it in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to three months. Store it in meal size portions in the freezer.
This is the sherry I use. It is available from Countdown. I like using it in this dish, as it gives the gravy a sweet richness. But you can substitute it for wine, or for stock. See what suits your taste buds.
For the dried mushrooms, you can use any that you have available, or that you like. I usually use mixed mushrooms, found in the Asian section of the supermarket, because they are well priced and readily available.
Leave a Reply