Oh, but for that golden gravy
I enjoy cooking. I like trying new things but relish the old comfort foods. Potatoes are a staple and a comfort food. For me, the skins are an integral part of the enjoyment. Butter, pepper, salt, pepper, and parsley (and more pepper) are the usual accompaniment.
On our recent trip to Dekalb I bought 4 containers of nutritional yeast, a must have of vegetarian and vegan diets, for its B12, but mostly for its flavor. Some vegans swear by it as a cheese substitute. Bah! Being lactose intolerant I will never forgive my aging body for increasingly rejecting dairy and there is nothing like a good cheese. So taken am I by the subtleties of different cheeses, I suffer the consequences of eating dairy in cheese form at least twice a month. But yeast gravy allows me a secondary pleasure with its hint of cheesiness and deep richness of flavor.
My yeast gravy begins with sautéing a sweet onion in margarine (to appease my gastro issues). It has to be cooked long and well browned. Ideally, the onion is finely minced. I add lactose free whole milk and a smattering of corn starch. Yes, I am a slave to slurry ease instead of the traditional roux of flour for thickening. At some point I add in a vegetarian bouillon cube for that saltiness I crave. Then I add in the nutritional yeast.
I cook by feel and so no measurements are known except that one sweet onion to start. I add a bit more milk and a bit more yeast as needed until I reach an acceptable consistency-- which is oft determined by my hunger because this is a time consuming process. I used to slather the gravy over the food but found myself wanting to dip everything on the plate into that golden concoction. Now a bowl on the side helps me measure out a reasonable amount and it definitely helps when dipping the bread into it. Yes, the broccoli too was dipped but most was reserved for those tiny little potatoes which I enjoy with or without drowning in gravy.
By the way, I don't eat rich and indulgent food all the time. A usual family meal would be the broccoli and potatoes and perhaps a slice of homemade bread. When eating alone my default meals lean towards raw veg and hummus or a tahini sauce, for dipping naturally. When one eats as much raw veg at meals and fruit for snacks, the cakes and cookies on this blog are well deserved treats. Besides, I have my boys to eat the majority of the sweets. I usually have only a serving or two of the sugary goodness from each recipe. If my son ever moves out and my daughter ceases to return home at weekend for laundry, then I shall endeavor to make smaller portions of desserts. Honestly, I'll try!
