The Best Pepper and Mushroom Gravy

Wrap garlic clove, ginger and thyme springs tightly in some string, then stick the cloves inside the ginger or garlic clove.

Put vegetable stock and bouquet garni (the wrapped aromatics) in a pot and bring to a boil. As soon as the stock starts boiling, turn heat down low and gently simmer for about 5 minutes. Then turn heat off and set aside.

Meanwhile, put peppercorns to a pestle mortar and bash until you get a coarse dust of pepper.

Preheat frying pan over medium-high heat. Add butter, then add mushrooms and fry for a couple of minutes until they develop some nice colour and wilt down. Add flour and stir through. Add red wine and stir through—you should get a paste-like consistency.

Finally, add infused stock (discard the bouquet garni). Stir through, bring to a boil, turn heat down low and then let sauce simmer for about 5–10 minutes.

Finish by adding ground pepper and salt to taste, but be careful with the salt and taste as you go. Remember, you can add salt but you can’t take it away.