A roast dinner isn't complete without gravy. Forget about the stuff that comes from jars. We mean thick, flavoursome and rich, real gravy. You can make it in advance and it is well worth the effort.
Chop the chicken or turkey wings into smaller pieces and fry in a little oil for 4-5 mins until caramelised and golden in colour.
Add the chopped vegetables and thyme and continue to cook until the vegetables are golden.
Add the garlic and tomato puree, cook for a further minute.
Add your chosen stock and bring to the boil. With a small spoon or ladle remove any impurities from the surface.
Simmer the gravy gently for one hour to develop in flavour.
Push the gravy through a sieve with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavour as possible.
Bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper and finally pass through a fine sieve to remove any impurities.
Serve the gravy into sauceboats.
Make this gravy 3 days in advance and then finish with seasoning and pass through a fine sieve on Christmas Day.
It's important to fry the tomato puree for at least a minute to stop any bitter flavours developing into the finished gravy.