For our last JazzVox pre-concert meal I served some of my favorite dishes. Pastrami Roll Ups (recipe under 1950s Themed Cocktail Party Menu) as an appetizer. For the other dishes, Old Fashioned Meatloaf (without the ketchup brown sugar topping) topped with Mushroom Onion Gravy, Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions (recipe soon to be published, Pear and Blue Cheese Salad, Broccoli Salad with Bacon, Dried Cranberries, and Sunflower Seeds, Bread and Butter Pickles, Overnight Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls, and for dessert – Ginger Cake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Bourbon Whipped Cream. (Recipes on this site for all highlighted dishes.)

A mighty fine combination of dishes if I do say so myself. (Which of course I would say. Duh!) Anyway, of all the dishes I prepared, the ones Mr. C. raved about the most were the roll ups and this gravy.

The roll ups I have been making for eons, so no thrilling new taste sensation there. But the gravy, well that was a different story. Mr. C. really liked the gravy. I had simply wanted to dress the meatloaf up a bit. And how better to make anything a bit fancier than by adding a sauce or gravy?

And of course, it didn’t hurt that both of us are gravy/sauce/aioli etc. addicts. I tend to be a bit more addicted, but Mr. C. comes in a close second. So, a gravy seasoned with a bit of powdered dried porcini mushroom to enhance the button mushroom flavor was all it took to lift the gravy from just OK, to well, pretty darn tasty! And not a bit of real roasted beef fat was required*. Would have been nice, but sometimes we must make do with what we have on hand. (More about using real roasted meat fat and juices below.)

So, if you too want to add a bit of excitement to a simple cut of meat or a plain meatloaf, I invite you to make this gravy. But make plenty. Some folks feel it necessary to slather rather than merely decorate or garnish with gravy. Me? I am firmly and enthusiastically in the “slather” camp!

Unpaid and very opinionated political announcement: If you happen to live in the state of Washington where voting for your favorite democrat or republican candidate for president is in full swing, please vote. We as individuals don’t often get a voice in what happens in our country. But if we vote, we can at least say we tried to make a difference.

Peace and love to all.

6 T. (¾ stick) unsalted butter*, divided

¼ c. finely chopped shallot

8 oz. fresh button mushrooms, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ground** dried porcini mushrooms   

¼ c. all-purpose flour

2 c. water

2 rounded tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base), or more to taste

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. heavy cream or whole milk

1-2 tsp. cognac

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a small, heavy pan. Add the shallot and cook until tender. Add the mushrooms and cook 7-8 minutes or until golden and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the garlic and ground porcini mushrooms and cook for another minute.

Then melt in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.  Add the flour, whisk to combine, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring continually.  

Add the water, beef base, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Kitchen Bouquet, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Whisk continually until the gravy is thickened.  Simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning.   

Just before serving, stir in the heavy cream and cognac. If the gravy is too thick, add a bit of hot water. 

*If you have the fat and juices from roast meat available, use them to make your gravy. There is still nothing better than the real thing (rendered meat fat and juices) to flavor gravy. Or use part meat fat and part unsalted butter.  

**Grind dried mushrooms in a coffee/spice grinder or pound with a mallet in a Ziplock bag.