❧ COOKING COMPANION
❧
ONION GRAVY
This makes a delicious, dark onion sauce to go with sausages, liver, toad-in-the-hole or pork chops; a mound of creamy mashed potatoes is the essential accompaniment
Serves 4
❤ 40g butter or beef dripping ❤ 450g onions, halved and thinly sliced ❤ Half tsp brown sugar ❤ 3 tbsp plain fl our ❤ 400–500ml hot beef or vegetable stock1 fresh thyme sprig
❤ 2 tsp dark soy sauce ❤ 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional) ❤ salt and ground black pepper
1 Melt the butter or dripping over low heat. Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes, until softened
2 Add the sugar, increase the heat a little and cook for 20–30 minutes, until the onions are dark brown
From Classic Sauces, published by Southwater
3 Stir in the fl our, cook for a few minutes, stirring, then gradually stir in the hot stock
4 Simmer, stirring, to make a thickened gravy, adding a little more stock if the gravy is too thick
56 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER
5 Add the thyme, season lightly, then cook gently, stirring frequently, for 10–15 minutes
6 Stir in the soy sauce, and, if using, the Worcestershire sauce. Add more seasoning, if required, and a little more stock if the gravy is too thick. Remove the thyme, and serve.
Classic Sauces, published by Southwater MINT SAUCE
A mandatory accompaniment to roast lamb! It is also the perfect solution to what to do with all that mint should you have it growing in your garden, since it has a tendency to grow rather freely have it growing in your garden, since it has a tendency to grow rather freely.
❤ 150ml white wine vinegar ❤ 115g granulated sugar ❤ 100g mint leaves ❤ a pinch of salt
1 Put the vinegar and sugar in a large, heavy- based saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil,
stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 2–3 hours.
2 Sterilize enough small, wide-necked jars with non-metallic, vinegar-proof lids, or preserving jars, so that they are ready to use.
3 Strip the mint leaves off their stalks and chop fi nely. Put the chopped mint in a bowl and pour over hot water to set the colour of the mint leaves. Drain well and pat dry on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt and put the mint into the warmed, sterilized jars.
4 When the vinegar is cold, pour into the jars to cover the mint. Seal immediately, label and store in a cool, dry, dark place.
5 The sauce can be served when made but refrigerate after opening.
6 To serve the sauce, spoon out the quantity of mint that you require with a little of the vinegar into a serving jug or bowl.
From The Bay Tree Preserving, published by Nourish.
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