Gravy
We come now to the homely Anglo-American
cousin of French sauces, the starch-thickened
gravy typically made to accompany a roast.
This is a last-minute sauce that’s put together
just before serving, and consists of the roast’s
juices, extended with additional liquid, and
thickened with flour. The drippings from the
roast, both fat and browned solids, give the
gravy its flavor and color. First the fat is
poured off and reserved, and the pan is
“deglazed”: the browned solids are lifted from
the roasting pan with a small amount of water,
wine, beer, or stock. The liquid dissolves the
browning-reaction products that have stuck to
the pan and so takes up their especially rich
flavors. The deglazing liquid is poured off and
reserved separately. Now some of the fat is
returned to the pan with an equal volume of
flour, and the flour cooked until it has lost its
raw aroma. The deglazing liquid is added,
around a cup/250 ml for every 1–2