Make-ahead madeira gravy

This vegetarian gravy can be served as is or used as a delicious base for your turkey gravy. If you don’t have any madeira, swap it out for the same quantity of dry sherry.

SERVES 6-8 PREP 15 mins COOK 35 mins EASY V

large knob of butter 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 1 large thyme sprig 1 tbsp caster sugar 3 tbsp plain flour 1 tsp Marmite 1 tsp tomato purée 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 150ml madeira 1 litre vegetable stock (or chicken or beef stock, if you’re not cooking for vegetarians)

1 Heat the butter in a wide saucepan over a medium heat and sizzle the vegetables and herbs in the pan for 15 mins until the veg start to brown. Scatter over the sugar and continue to cook for a further few minutes until sticky and caramelised. Stir in the flour until sandy, cook for 1 min, then add the Marmite, tomato purée, vinegar and soy sauce to make a sticky paste. Pour over the madeira and bubble for 1 min.

2 Add the stock, then crush the veg with a potato masher and bubble everything together for 10 mins until you have a thickened sauce that just coats the back of a spoon. Sieve and use straightaway as a veggie gravy or as the base to a turkey gravy. Can be cooled, then frozen for up to three months.

GOOD TO KNOW low fat

PER SERVING (8) 94 kcals • fat 1g • saturates 1g • carbs 13g • sugars 6g • fibre 1g • protein 2g • salt 0.7g