Shiitake Mushroom Gravy

You Will Need:

1. A Decent Chef Knife
2. 12 inch Cast Iron Skillet or Sauté Pan
3. A Long Handled Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

1. Pan drippings (optional)
2. 2 tablespoons butter
3. 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4. 1 small shallot, finely minced
5. 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced (or 1 tablespoon dried)
6. 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
7. 8-12 ounces fresh mushrooms (I prefer shiitake for this dish, but baby bellas or anything else is fine too)
   • Finely chop 3/4 of the mushrooms
   • Slice the remaining mushrooms
8. 1/4 cup all purpose flour
9. 1/3 cup dry Sherry
10. 2 cups Essential Everyday Stock (or 1 14.5oz can chicken broth)
11. Around 1/4 cup heavy cream
12. Kosher Salt, Balsamic (or other) vinegar, pinch sugar – as needed, to balance flavors

Instructions

1. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a cast iron skillet or sauté pan along with pan drippings (if using) and bring to medium heat.
2. Add shallots, mushrooms, herbs and garlic mixture and stir well to coat in butter and pan drippings. Cover, and sweat, stirring occasionally, until shallots and mushrooms release their moisture, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan (add a splash of stock or water if the mushrooms and shallots don’t release enough moisture to deglaze the pan).
3. Once shallots are soft and mushrooms are nicely browned, add flour
4. Stir flour to incorporate and raw flour is cooked and somewhat brown (it will give off a nutty aroma) – about 2 minutes
5. Add sherry, and flambé (or just reduce until raw alcohol is cooked off, 2 minutes)
6. Add stock and bring to a simmer, continuing to scrape up whatever might be stuck to the bottom of the pan; continue to stir and simmer until reduced to desired thickness
7. Stir in heavy cream and return to a simmer.
8. Taste the gravy; what does it need? Add a pinch of salt, taste again, a splash of vinegar; taste again; a pinch of sugar… taste again, until flavors are balanced