Fry a chopped onion in a very little nutter until a dark brown. (Do not burn or the flavor of the gravy will be spoilt.) Drain off the fat and add ½ pint water. Boil until the water is brown. Strain. Return to saucepan and add flavoring to taste. A teaspoon of lemon juice and a tomato, skinned and cooked to pulp, are good additions. Or any vegetable stock may be used instead of the water.
THICK.—If thick gravy be desired, mix a dessert spoonful wholemeal flour with a little cold water. Add the boiling stock to this. Return to saucepan and boil for 3 minutes. Add a small piece of butter just before serving.
Another method.—Add a little “browning” (see recipe) to any vegetable stock. Thicken.Make a white sauce (see recipe). But if the use of milk be objected to, make the sauce of water and wholemeal flour. Allow 1 tablespoon finely-chopped parsley to each ½ pint of sauce. Add to the sauce, and boil up. Add a small piece of butter or nut-butter just before serving.
Rub the lemon rind well with the sugar. Put the sugar into a saucepan with as much water as it will just absorb. Boil until it’s a clear syrup. Add the lemon juice. Make hot, but do not boil.
Pour boiling water on the tomatoes, allow to stand for 1 minute, after which the skins may be easily removed. Break the tomatoes (do not cut) and put into a closely-covered saucepan. Put on one side of the range, or an asbestos mat over a very low gas ring, and allow to cook slowly to pulp. Serve.
This simple recipe makes the most delicious sauce for those who appreciate the undiluted flavor of the tomato. But a good sauce may be made by allowing 1 teacup water or carrot stock to each teacup of pulp, boiling up and thickening with wholemeal flour. A little butter may be added just before serving.
Allow 1 level dessertspoon corn flour to ½ pint milk. Mix the corn flour with a very little cold water in a basin. Pour the boiling milk into this, stirring all the time. Return to saucepan and boil 5 minutes. Add a small piece of butter just before serving.
Put 2 ozs. lump sugar in saucepan with as much water as it will just absorb. Boil to a clear syrup, and then simmer very gently, stirring all the time, until it is a very dark brown, almost black. It must not burn or the flavor will be spoilt. Then add a pint of water, boil for a few minutes. Put into a tightly-corked bottle and use as required.