tropit

For those of you that are avoiding meat this holiday season, here's a real simple way to make an amazing au jus sauce without using any meat.

Set the oven at 400 degrees f.

On a big sheet pan, dribble some olive oil, add, a couple of chopped onions and a chopped carrot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add about a cup of veggy broth, a half cup of tomato sauce, a little white, or red wine and a couple splashes worcestershire sauce, (vegan, if you can find it.) Remove from oven, cool slightly, add some warm water to the pan and scrape with a wooden spoon to dislodge all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Strain into a saute pan. You can actually do this a couple of times with the contents in the sheet pan. (If you don't want to go totally vegan, you can also add some, "Better Than Bouillion" Beef concentrate to the mix.) The mixture that you're left in the pan may be quite salty, so you'll have to add more broth, or possibly some water to tone it down. I also like to add some herbs s/a rosemary, or thyme. However you go with it, you'll find that the flavor is complex and absolutely delicious!!!

This method can also be used to make the base for a non-vegan, roast beef, turkey, or chicken au jus.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!

~ C