Simple Onion Gravy for Sausages

We were going to have rack of lamb for supper tonight. I won't lie, I was seriously looking forward to cooking it, since rack of lamb, as well as being a bit flashy if you get it right, is one of the first things I learned when I was first taught to cook. There was definitely a bit of showing off on the horizon.

Well, karma got its own back: when we opened the pack, the lamb smelled absolutely putrid, despite being well within date (that's what you get for buying your meat vacuum-packed at Costco, folks). Sad faces all round. We'll have to have sausages instead.

Cue my onion gravy.

I made it up one day not so long ago (as far as you can 'make up' a recipe for onion gravy...) and since then it's become one of my staples. I eat sausage and mash a lot more often than I used to! It'll jazz up the saddest of bangers and it does wonders for your mash as well (I'm biased, I LOVE mash with gravy). Don't forget to salt your mash a lot more than you initially think you need to though - it's the difference between creamy spud joy and bland failure. But back to the gravy. The best thing of all is that it's as easy as pie. A lot easier, in fact. Pie can be quite complicated.

Here it is, then; not the most glamorous of recipes, but I bet you find it useful!

Ingredients
(for 3 or 4)

One medium onion, sliced
Olive oil
Port
Beef stock
Redcurrant jelly
Salt and pepper
The pan you cooked the suasages in

Method

While your sausages are cooking and your potatoes are boiling, pop the sliced onions in a frying pan with some olive oil (not too much though, kids) and leave them on a low heat to cook through and turn that lovely golden brown particular to the white onion when it's done just right. When your sausages are done, remove them from the baking tray or frying pan onto a serving dish. Put the pan on the stove on a high heat, pour in a really good slosh of port (about a wine-glass's worth, if not more) and de-glaze it (that's when you scrape away at the sticky its on the bottom until they all dissolve into the port).

Pour the port and sausage juices into the onion pan, and add around a pint of beef stock. Obviously, you all make your own delicious beef stock and only use that in your cooking, but if you didn't, stock cubes would be fine. Let the gravy simmer for a little while, then add the redcurrant jelly. Allow the whole thing to reduce gently for five or ten minutes (this is a good time to get your mash ready). Finally, taste, season, and serve up with your champion sausage and mash. Peas or maybe some buttered leeks are a good vegetable here.

Enjoy Good Old British Bangers and Mash with the Finest Onion Gravy.