Pan gravy- no packet!!

INGREDIENTS:

• Pan juices from a roast
• 2 Tblsp cornflour
• salt
• pepper
• mixed herbs (optional)
• 4 Tblsp cold water (must be cold)
• more water (out of the peas is the best)

METHOD:

Take your roast out of the pan and put on a meat tray. Drain as much of the fat off the pan as you can. It will be the clear stuff at the top, pour into a metal or glass container so you can give it to the birds (down your sink isn't a good idea unless you have a cute plumber!?)
In a shaker or container with lid (a jar is sufficient) put the cornflour, salt, pepper and herbs. Add the cold water to this, if it is not cold you will get paste like kids use for paper mache- not good. Shake like heck until it is all mixed up and pour into the pan. Place the pan on a low heat on the stove top. Constantly stir the gravy, I use my 'gravy fork' which is an old fork bent at the top so that you can get some good pressure for scraping the crunchy bits off the pan. A whisk works fine also. Keep stirring until the gravy starts to thicken and then slowly add the rest of the water until you have about a cup and a half of gravy. The longer you boil it, the thicker it will be so just make it to how you like it.

This is my gravy fork, just bend an old one you have at home and you will have created a handy addition to your kitchen tools drawer!!

TIPS:

• You may want to add something to help  make the gravy a darker colour- you can use a bit of Bisto (don't tell cause it's technically cheating), Marmite or BBQ sauce also works well. You don't need much, it is to colour not flavour!
• Depending on what you are serving the gravy with you may want to add some cooked onions or mushrooms as well.
• Chicken gravy won't need any help with colour and should be pale in colour, beef on the other hand should be a rich brown