Christmas gravy recipe

Get a grip on gravy this Christmas, with this great recipe from Lake on a Plate's Peter Sidwell

Watch Peter make the recipe

• 1 roast chicken carcass
• 2 carrots
• 2 sticks of celery
• 2 slices of smoked streaky bacon
• 1 bulb of garlic,
• 2 onions, red and white
• 2 bay leaves
• A few spring of thyme
• Handful pancetta
• 200ml of white wine
• 800ml chicken stock

1. First things first have a really nice roast chicken dinner. When you have enjoyed that place the chicken carcass back in the oven for 45 minutes at 180°C (gas mark 4) until it goes golden brown and crisp.

2. Meanwhile chop the carrots, pancetta, celery and onion into small pieces.

3. When the chicken is golden brown, remove from the oven and add the vegetables. Slice the garlic bulb in half and add that followed by the bay and thyme. Finally add the white wine, and stock. (Stock cubes are fine for this).

4. Cover with foil and return to the oven for 2-3 hours at 160ÚC (gas mark 3). When the vegetables are really soft and tender, remove the chicken carcass, bay leaves, thyme sprigs. Also remove the garlic and leave to one side to cool.

5. Place all the vegetables and liquid into a food processor or use a hand blender and blend until it is really smooth. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb into the gravy and give it a final blitz with the blender.

6. Return to a pan and to intensify the flavour, taste for seasoning, maybe a little salt and pepper or even a little cranberry sauce to sweeten if you like.

7. When the sauce is cooled pour it into a freezer bag and label it, pop it into the freezer until Christmas eve. Leave it in the fridge over night to thaw, when re heating make sure it boils for at least 3-4 minutes and have a little taste to check it for seasoning.