make-ahead mushroom gravy

If you love mushrooms, this is a great gravy recipe. I used it for our most recent Thanksgiving dinner, but I can see using it for a simple baked chicken or even chicken cutlet and rice.

If mushrooms aren't your thing, consider using half of the porcini mushrooms. As well, consider adding a regular onion on top of the shallot, and maybe some celery. 

Either way, you get gravy with great viscosity, a beautiful shiny brown color from using butter, and will keep in the fridge for at least 4 days. Make it on the weekend for use during the week. However, I haven't tried freezing it

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2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1-2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tub of crimini (brown) mushrooms, thinly sliced
  (white would be OK too)
About 10 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stem removed and thinly sliced

1t (or so) chopped fresh thyme (I used lemon thyme)
2t fresh sage
1 cup of vermouth
1 large box of chicken stock

1/2 cup creme fraiche 
  (sour cream works but gives a more 'neutral' flavor)
5t cornstarch

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Put dried porcini mushrooms into the boiling water and let them sit for about an hour, until the are soft. Keep the liquid, take out the porcini and chop them into bits. 

Melt butter in a big pan and add shallots and garlic. Stir it up for about a minute than add sage, thyme, crimini and shiitake and cook until they are tender and releasing the mushroom juice. Add vermouth, most of the chicken stock (leave about 1/4-1/8 cup) and chopped porcini. Add the porcini liquid (it will be the color of super strong coffee), being careful not to pour in any of the gritty stuff at the bottom. Bring this to a soft boil for about 10 minutes. Stir in creme fraiche.

In a separate bowl, stir in the rest of the chicken stock and the cornstarch. Add this to the gently boiling gravy. Cook until it starts to get thick--about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to your taste.

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