Roast garlic make-ahead gravy

• carrots↗2

  finely chopped

• sunflower oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• garlic cloves↗8

  unpeeled

• plain flour↗2 tbsp tbsp
• red wine↗1 glass of

  1 glass of

• beef stock↗850ml ml

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip the chopped carrots into an ovenproof frying pan or roasting tin, and toss with the oil. Roast for 30 mins until starting to brown, then add the garlic and roast for a further 20 mins until they have softened completely.

2. 2

   Put the pan on the hob over a medium heat (or tip into a saucepan first, if you haven’t used an ovenproof pan). Scatter in the flour and stir it in, then cook undisturbed for a few minutes until lightly browned. Pour in the wine and bubble for 5 mins until you have a paste. Pour in the stock and simmer for 15 mins until slightly thickened, then leave to cool a little.

3. 3

   Blitz using a hand blender or jug blender, then sieve into a jug. Will keep chilled for up to three days or frozen, in a freezerproof container, for a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight before using. Pour the gravy base into the pan you’ve used for roasting, and stir in the meat juices and roasted onions. Bring to a simmer, then strain into a gravy boat or jug to serve.