This vegetarian gravy packs so much punch, it might just become your go-to gravy!

By chef Jo Lusted

Makes about 3 cups

3 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1 rib celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms, sliced
3 sprigs each fresh thyme and flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup red wine
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Soak mushrooms in 2 cups hot water until rehydrated. Drain and reserve liquid and add mushrooms to pan. Stir in thyme, parsley, bay leaves and tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until dark and richly caramelized, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir flour into pan and cook, stirring, until brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with red wine and stir in mushroom liquid and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes until reduced and thickened.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pushing all liquids out of the solids with the bottom of a ladle. Season gravy with lemon juice, then salt and pepper to taste.