Veal Stock and Mushroom Gravy

For the stock:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Combine the bones, onion, carrots, celery, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns and salt in a roasting pan. Bake for 45 minutes being careful not to let the bones burn. Then remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle with the flour and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Transfer the stock mixture to a large stock pot and set aside. Add two cups of water to the now empty roasting pan. Deglaze the pan by heating it over low heat and stirring frequently to dissolve the particles in the pan. Then add the liquid to the stock pot.

Into the stock pot add the remaining water, tomato puree, leeks and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for two hours. Strain it into a bowl through a colander. Discard the solids and cool the stock before refrigerating or freezing.

To use the stock to make a mushroom gravy:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Then add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook on low heat for a few minutes until vegetables are translucent. Whisk in the flour and stir it around until a paste forms. Then slowly whisk in 1 pint of the veal stock. Add the wine and the mushrooms and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from The New York Times.