A Rich English Brown Gravy

Ingredients

• 4–6 ounces lean ham, thickly sliced and cut into large dice
• 2 pounds neck of beef
• 2–3 eschalots or Portugal onion (or one common onion if others unavailable)
• 1 quart boiling water or weak well-flavoured broth
• 1 saltspoonful salt
• 4 cloves
• 1 blade of mace
• 20 corns pepper
• 1 bunch savoury herbs
• 1 carrot
• a few slices celery
• 12 small mushrooms (optional, prepared as for pickling)
• mushroom catsup (or cayenne-vinegar, or other flavouring as needed)

Instructions

1. Brown the ham lightly and carefully, then remove it to the pan in which the gravy is to be made.
2. Fry the neck of beef, dredged with flour and lightly peppered, until lightly browned.
3. Place the browned beef over the ham in the gravy pan.
4. Brown the onions gently and add them to the meat.
5. Pour boiling water or weak but well-flavoured broth over all the ingredients.
6. Bring slowly to a boil and carefully clear off the scum.
7. Add salt, cloves, blade of mace, twenty corns of pepper, bunch of savoury herbs, carrot, and celery slices (fried or not as convenient).
8. If using mushrooms, add them now.
9. Boil the gravy very gently until reduced to little more than a pint.
10. Strain and set aside until the fat can be removed from the surface.
11. Heat the gravy anew, add more salt if needed, and season with mushroom catsup, cayenne-vinegar, or other flavouring to suit the dish.