If my recipe is more work than you want to do, there is an excellent vegan mushroom gravy at http://vegetarian.about.com/od/saucesdipsspreads/r/mushroomgravy.htm
I don't like it as well, but it's still good and faster to prepare.
MY VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. white or button mushrooms
small yellow or white onion, minced
1 hot chili of your choice or more if you like OR
1/4-1 tsp (dash-5gr) cayenne pepper (optional, I guess)
1/4 cup Vegetable oil or 1/4 cup vegan margarine + 2 tablespoons of fat of your choice
1 1/2 quarts (1 1/2 liters) vegetable broth Or
1 quart/ 1 liter veggie broth and 1/2 quart (1/2 liter) unflavoured soy milk, for a creamy gravy
1 Tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce
1/4 cup (12 gr) flour
11/2 tsp poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Chop the onion and process in a food processor, along with half the mushrooms. You can also add the chili, but you might have trouble breathing the fumes. Process until smooth.
Chop the chili, if used, very finely.
Add the chili and saute in vegetable oil or vegan margarine over med heat until the mixture carmelises to a rich brown or whatever colour you want your gravy to be. If you are adding soy milk, that will, of course, effect the colour as well. This is the key step to give it a sort of meaty taste and look.
Add the ;liquid you choose to use.
If you don't want delicious little bits of onion, mushroom and chili in your gravy, you can sieve them out at this point. Please don't thow those bits out , though. Toss them into your stuffing or veggies or whatever could use a flavour boost.
This next, thickening step with a roux. In a small saucepan, put the 2 Tablespoons of oil or margarine and add the flour. Stir until the flour is very lightly browned. Stir in slowly, very slowly, stirring to avoid lumps, about 1/4 cup veggie broth and stir until it is a lump-free liquidy mixture.
Add this to the carmelised mixture and stir until completely mixed.
AS an alternative, you can add the flour and oil directly to the carmelised mixture, but you run the risk of lumps and you miss the nutty roux flavor. Please take the extra step for best result.
Add the rest .of the mushrooms, sliced or quartered.
Next, add the poultry seasoning and stir thoroughly
Add the rest of the liquid and heat until it’s the thickness you like. If it gets too thick, you can always add a bit more broth. Too thin: a teaspoon of cornstarch in a bit of cold water will thicken it, but be careful of using too much. Cornstarch can get a bit slimy.
Taste and salt to your personal taste.
VARIATIONS:
You can use unsalted butter and/or milk if you like. It will still be vegetarian, but not vegan.
Omit the chili, if you’re chicken or have GERD or are serving to young children. Pass a cayenne shaker at the table, though, for those who would like it.
Sour cream, either dairy or vegan adds a bit of zip to it.
If you cook with wine, a few splashes of a dry white wine is delicious, but only if you don't use dairy; it might curdle.
I don't like it as well, but it's still good and faster to prepare.
MY VEGAN MUSHROOM GRAVY
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. white or button mushrooms
small yellow or white onion, minced
1 hot chili of your choice or more if you like OR
1/4-1 tsp (dash-5gr) cayenne pepper (optional, I guess)
1/4 cup Vegetable oil or 1/4 cup vegan margarine + 2 tablespoons of fat of your choice
1 1/2 quarts (1 1/2 liters) vegetable broth Or
1 quart/ 1 liter veggie broth and 1/2 quart (1/2 liter) unflavoured soy milk, for a creamy gravy
1 Tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce
1/4 cup (12 gr) flour
11/2 tsp poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Chop the onion and process in a food processor, along with half the mushrooms. You can also add the chili, but you might have trouble breathing the fumes. Process until smooth.
Chop the chili, if used, very finely.
Add the chili and saute in vegetable oil or vegan margarine over med heat until the mixture carmelises to a rich brown or whatever colour you want your gravy to be. If you are adding soy milk, that will, of course, effect the colour as well. This is the key step to give it a sort of meaty taste and look.
Add the ;liquid you choose to use.
If you don't want delicious little bits of onion, mushroom and chili in your gravy, you can sieve them out at this point. Please don't thow those bits out , though. Toss them into your stuffing or veggies or whatever could use a flavour boost.
This next, thickening step with a roux. In a small saucepan, put the 2 Tablespoons of oil or margarine and add the flour. Stir until the flour is very lightly browned. Stir in slowly, very slowly, stirring to avoid lumps, about 1/4 cup veggie broth and stir until it is a lump-free liquidy mixture.
Add this to the carmelised mixture and stir until completely mixed.
AS an alternative, you can add the flour and oil directly to the carmelised mixture, but you run the risk of lumps and you miss the nutty roux flavor. Please take the extra step for best result.
Add the rest .of the mushrooms, sliced or quartered.
Next, add the poultry seasoning and stir thoroughly
Add the rest of the liquid and heat until it’s the thickness you like. If it gets too thick, you can always add a bit more broth. Too thin: a teaspoon of cornstarch in a bit of cold water will thicken it, but be careful of using too much. Cornstarch can get a bit slimy.
Taste and salt to your personal taste.
VARIATIONS:
You can use unsalted butter and/or milk if you like. It will still be vegetarian, but not vegan.
Omit the chili, if you’re chicken or have GERD or are serving to young children. Pass a cayenne shaker at the table, though, for those who would like it.
Sour cream, either dairy or vegan adds a bit of zip to it.
If you cook with wine, a few splashes of a dry white wine is delicious, but only if you don't use dairy; it might curdle.
