Onion Gravy

This is a lovely, thick onion gravy, made especially good by the richness of the Madeira. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you might want to add a little more redcurrant jelly to enhance the richness – but taste it first and decide for yourself. The Maderia can give the gravy a strong taste, so make sure you boil it well to reduce the alcohol. You do need a really good chicken stock (preferably home made) to balance it out. If you cook on an Aga, start the onions on the top then leave to soften in the simmering oven. This recipe makes enough for about a pound of (roughly eight) sausages, so serves two to four, depending on how hungry you are.

Ingredients:

A very thick slice (about 75g) of butter3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced850ml chicken stock1tsp redcurrant jellyA good dash of Worcestershire sauce6 tbsp Madeira, Marsala or red wine1� tsp corn flour

Method:

1 Melt the butter in a heavy based pan, add the onions and cook over a low heat until golden and soft. Keep an eye on them so they don’t catch. 2 Once the onions are brown, add the stock, the redcurrant jelly and the Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil. Leave to simmer.3 Meanwhile, put the Madeira into a small pan over a moderate heat to reduce by about half, it needs to be thick and syrupy. Add a little of the Madeira at a time to the gravy, tasting as you go to make sure it doesn’t become too overpowering.4 Carry on cooking until the onions are beautifully soft. Dilute the corn flour in a little cold water and add to the gravy. Let the gravy thicken over a gentle heat and season to taste.