Jack’s Christmas Gravy

I generally use standard gravy granules but I used stock for this because it’s cheaper to buy and I had it to hand. This may be controversial but it really does work. It makes a delicious gravy with a light sweet and onion- y flavour and a lovely colour. You can also make it with vegetable stock.

Ingredients:

Two small onions

Two tbsp baking spread One tbsp lard

700ml chicken or veg stock A pinch of mixed herbs Two tbsp cranberry sauce

Method:

1. First peel your onions, quarter them, and pop them in a small powerful blender, along with all the other ingredients. Blend until completely smooth.

2. Pour into a heavy- based saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook slowly and gently for around 40 minutes, stirring every now and then. If you have a small slow cooker this is perfect to put in on Christmas Eve on low and wake up on Christmas morning to the smell of gravy wafting through the house!

3. Thin to your desired consistency with extra stock or the water from cooking the onions for the veg and stuffing roast. You can let this cool and microwave it or heat it through on the hob to serve, but it does thicken as it cools so if you plan to do that, make it a bit thinner than you’d like to serve it. I have an alcohol- free house but if you have some cheap red or white wine or even cider kicking about, a splash or two in this gravy would be delicious!