Mushroom Thyme Gravy

This is the ideal gravy for vegetarians or people (like me) who fry their turkey on Thanksgiving and don't have pan drippings to make gravy. It's rich and deeply flavorful. And if you don't like the idea of making it with vegetable or chicken stock, you can always make a stock from the giblets from inside your turkey (I actually simmered the giblets in homemade chicken stock for a super hybrid stock). Booyah.  

MUSHROOM THYME GRAVY

Yield: 2 cups

1/3 cup dried mushrooms (shitake or mixed)

2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock, preferably homemade

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup light cream

1 tablespoon sherry

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

salt & pepper

1.      Bring the stock to a boil. In a small bowl pour stock over mushrooms. Let soak for 20 minutes.

2.      Remove mushrooms from bowl, setting the stock aside for later. Mince or thinly slice the mushrooms.

3.      In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Add the minced shallot and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat until softened.

4.      Add the flour to the butter/shallot mixture stirring constantly. Cook for a 2 minutes.

5.      Gradually add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved vegetable stock (leaving mushroom sediment out), stirring well to incorporate after each addition. Cook over medium heat until thickened.

6.      Add the reserved mushrooms, soy sauce, cream, sherry & thyme to the gravy. Cook for a few more minutes until heated through and thickened to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

from food52.com (added by sticksnscones)

dried shiitake mushrooms

shiitake mushrooms soaking in hot stock

soaked shiitake mushrooms

shallots cooking in butter

adding flour

roux

adding the stock

thickening

fresh thyme leaves

adding mushrooms, soy sauce, cream, sherry & thyme

mushroom thyme gravy

You can make this the day before and
reheat, thinning with more stock as needed.

gravy on mashed potatoes

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