One of the most common side-dish staples on holiday menus is the liquid gold produced from turkey droppings, also known as gravy. Growing up my mom always simmered onions, carrots, celery, and the gizzards in a small pot while the turkey was in the oven. Once the turkey was fully roasted and on a platter, she would strain the simmered stock into the bottom of the roasting pan, adding some seasoning and quick mixing flour to thicken it. While it always turned out amazing, it’s intensive if you aren’t making a full turkey.
I wanted to create a gravy that had just as much flavor without needing the turkey gizzards or drippings. Last month I dug through the pantry, and after a few tests of different seasoning blends and rations, the result was a gravy that featured the floral and slight smokiness of lavender in a bottle of Herbs de Provence I had on hand.