Gravy Revisited

This is my version of gravy without roasting meat. I had some leftover duck giblets from the weekend but you can basically use any left over raw meat. For more flavor in the liquid I added onion and caraway seeds. I left the skin on the onion because this makes the gravy darker, weird but true! haha These flavors echo the flavors of the duck I'll be serving this with. Feel free to add flavors that match your meat like other herbs or citrus. For a really simple, traditional gravy just season with salt and pepper once the liquid has reduced.

Ingredients:
2 duck giblets, washed and cut in half
olive oil
3 cups total of flavorful liquid. mix of wine, stock, pan juices if roasting meat, or water. Use whatever you have on hand, it'll all taste good
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. flour
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. thaw giblets or meat and cut into smaller pieces. Drizzle olive oil in a stainless steel pan (this is important, can't get brown bits on a non stick pan). Place meat into pan and brown over medium high heat.

2. Keep turning meat over in pan every 3 minutes until the bottom is covered in brown bits. Once meat is dark/browned on the outside take it out and set aside.

3. Add 3 cups of flavorful liquid. Using a wooden spoon scrap bottom of pan to get all brown bits into the liquid.

4. Allow liquid to boil over high heat until liquid has reduced by 1/4. this is when i added the onion and caraway. now's the time to add any other flavorings you want.

5. Strain liquid and pour into a gravy separator. If you don't have one you can use a pitcher with a spout from the bottom or just let the liquids settle and skim the fat off carefully with a spoon.

6. Rinse out pan you already used to brown meat and melt 2 tbs butter. Add flour and whisk until it is a paste like consistency. Cook for about 3 minutes to get rid of floury taste (10 points to anyone who remembered this was a roux. 5 points if you didn't haha)

7. Add strained liquid to pan and whisk to get out any lumps. Cook for 2 minutes and then taste for seasoning. It'll most likely need a good bit of salt and pepper so don't be afraid to use a lot. Continue cooking gravy until it is a little thinner than the consistency you like. (it will thicken a little more while cooling)

8. Pour into a nice gravy boat or dish with a spout and serve with meat.