This gravy can be served with almost any type of meat or poultry or with mashed potatoes. If you would like to double the recipe, use a Dutch oven to give the vegetables ample space for browning and increase the cooking times by roughly 50 percent. The finished gravy can be frozen. To thaw either a single or double recipe, place the gravy and 1 tbsp of water in a saucepan over low heat and bring slowly to a simmer. The gravy may appear broken or curdled as it thaws, but a vigorous whisking will recombine it.
Makes 2 cups.
| 12 tbsp | unsalted butter (1½ sticks), cut into 12 pieces | |
| 1 small | carrot, peeled and chopped into rough ½-inch pieces (about ½ cup) | |
| 1 small | rib of celery, chopped into rough ½-inch pieces (about ½ cup) | |
| 1 small | onion, chopped into rough ½-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup) | |
| 3 tbsp | unsalted butter | |
| ¼ cup | unbleached all-purpose flour | |
| 2 cups | low-sodium chicken broth | |
| 2 cups | low-sodium beef broth | |
| 1 | bay leaf | |
| ¼ tsp | dried thyme | |
| 5 | whole black peppercorns | |
| — | salt | |
| — | ground black pepper |
1. In food processor, pulse carrot until broken into rough ¼-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses. Add celery and onion; pulse until all vegetables are broken into 1/8-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses.
2. Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and well browned, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add broths; bring to boil, skimming off any foam that forms on surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 3 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer into clean saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve hot.