Country Gravy
(Vegan Gravy that doesn't hurt animals!)
Okay Divas--Know your Gravy Math:2 tablespoons fat, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 cup of liquid to equal 1 cup of gravy
1. Pick your fat. Since this is vegan we are picking olive oil.
2. Heat your fat in a skillet. Preferably an iron skillet.
3. Decide on your flavor. Mushrooms, onions, vegetarian sausage, or sage and sauté that in your fat for a few minutes on low heat. The longer the better. Push your onions or mushrooms aside while you make gravy then add them back when you are done.
4. Now your fat is warm and full of flavor. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until a paste is formed. Be sure to not hurry this part as sautéing the flour makes your gravy taste better.
5. Slowly add a liquid. Milk or milk substitute is the best for fattening gravy. (Remember to not use vanilla flavored “milks.”) I use half soy milk and half water. Keep stirring over medium heat. The gravy will thicken as it heats. Add more liquid if necessary. The key to smooth gravy is to not add flour to the gravy after you've already added your liquid.
6. Stir back in your goodies like sausage crumbles or onions. And Serve over biscuits, grits or mashed potatoes!
NOTE: If you calculated wrong and your gravy is not getting thicker, you can do one of two things. The first is to dissolve a little cornstarch (about 1 tablespoon into a half-cup of warm water) then add that. Cornstarch thickens any broth quickly. Second, you can add flour to your gravy. You just have to do it right. Reduce the heat under your gravy. Dissolve some flour into warm water. Be sure that you have no lumps, then add this mixture very slowly to your gravy, gradually turning up your heat again. Even if the flour and water was not lumpy in the cup, it may lump in your gravy, so adding it slowly is imperative. If it lumps, maybe you'll get away with just a few instead of riddling the whole batch with them.