TOBY TIPS

DON'T BE AFRAID OF GRAVY

The kitchen is reaching fever pitch and now you need to make gravy... but there's no need to panic. If you do it right, you'll earn a rich, flavour-packed reward; just the thing to crown your glorious roast creation.

The tastiest gravy is made using the juices from the roasting pan. Remember, colour is flavour, so don't be shy about scraping in those dark burned-in bits. You can reduce fat by pouring the meat juices over ice cubes in a sieve. The fat will stick to the ice.

Add stock or water to give your gravy more body. Have a look in the fridge and add leftover apple sauce, horseradish, or mint for more flavour. Use your imagination. You could also try roasted onions or vegetable juice.

If you want to use granules, fine. But to avoid lumps, make a paste using water and slowly pour in more water – you can always add more, but you can't take it back!