Christmas gravy

Preheat the oven to 220ºC, gas mark 7. While it heats, slice the root away from the onions, then divide into quarters, leaving the skin on. Roughly chop the carrots and celery into large chunks.

Put the goose fat (or oil) into a large flameproof roasting tin and heat in the oven for 1 minute, or until melted. Add the vegetables, chicken wings and bacon to the tin, toss well to coat in the goose fat, then season and roast for 1 hour. The chicken should be crisp and caramelised and the vegetables tender.

Meanwhile, brown the flour. Put it into a small frying pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously, for 4-5 minutes until it turns deep brown. Remove from the heat.

Remove the roasting tin from the oven. Press down on the chicken wings to break them open, then add the browned flour to the tin. Stir well to soak up all the fat. Set the pan over a low heat on the hob (tip into a large saucepan if your roasting tin or hob are unsuitable for direct heat) and add the wine. Once absorbed, add the chicken stock, bay leaf and chestnut purée. Simmer the mixture gently for 30 minutes, stirring often. The flavour will deepen and the gravy will thicken.

Strain the mixture into a jug through a sieve, pressing firmly on the contents to extract as much liquid as possible. Return the gravy to the heat and add a pinch of salt, 2 tsp lemon juice and the cranberry sauce. Taste the gravy. If it needs more seasoning, add salt and pepper. If it needs acidity to cut through the richness, add a little more lemon juice. If it is bitter in any way, add a little more cranberry sauce.

Once happy with the gravy’s flavour and consistency, allow to cool to room temperature, then decant into a freezerproof container. Freeze for up to 3 months, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.