SMOKY SAGE AND GIBLET GRAVY Follow these directions to make a foolproof gravy no matter what recipe you use for roasting the turkey. Since the broth and giblets can be prepared one day ahead, the last-minute steps are kept to a minimum. GIBLET BROTH AND GIBLETS Neck, gizzard, heart, wing tips and liver reserved from 1 turkey 2 1/2 cups canned low-falt chicken broth 1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine 1 medium carrot, peeled, sliced 1 small onion, sliced 4 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced 12 large fresh sage leaves 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Rinse turkey neck, dizzard, heart and wing tips. Place in heavy large saucepan. Add broth, vermouth, carrot, onion, mushrooms, sage and peppercorns. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover pan. Simmer until neck meat is very tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place liver in heavy small saucepan; cover with cold water. Simmer over medium heat until firm to touch and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Strain broth into small bowl. Transfer neck, gizzard and heart to work surface; discard remaining solids. Carefully remove all meat from neck. Chop meat finely. Cut away any tough membrane from gizzard. Chop gizzard, heart and liver finely. Combine meats in medium bowl. Spoon fat off top of broth and discard. (Giblets and broth can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

GRAVY

Baste the turkey occasionally with three to four cups of homemade or canned low-salt chicken broth. That will help to create the rich pan juices that go into the gravy.

Roasting pan with pan juices from 1 roasted turkey
Canned low-salt chicken broth

8 bacon slices (about 7 ounces)
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons dry vermouth or white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Pour roasting pan juices into medium bowl. Spoon fat off top; discard fat. Return pan juices to roasting pan and set pan over 2 burners. Simmer over medium-high heat 2 minutes, stirring with wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits from pan bottom. Strain mixture from pan into 4-cup glass measuring cup; add giblet broth. If necessary, add enough canned broth to measure 4 cups liquid or transfer giblet broth mixture to medium saucepan and boil until reduced to 4 cups liquid.

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Using tongs, transfer bacon to paper towels; drain. Discard all but 4 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add flour. Whisk over medium heat until roux is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Whisk in giblet broth mixture. Bring to boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low. Mix in vermouth and sage. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency, about 10 minutes. Add chopped meats to gravy. (If desired, chop some or all of bacon and add to gravy.) Simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

Makes about 4 cups.

[Bon Appetit, November 1997]

1. To degrease the turkey pan juices, pour them into a bowl. The fat will rise to the top, forming a distinct layer. Spoon off the layer of fat, and discard it.

2. Return the juices to the roasting pan; simmer over two burners on the stove. Deglaze the pan by scraping the baked on-browned bits into the juices.

3. Whisking flour into the hot bacon drippings creates what is called a roux or liaison, which will act as the thickener for the gravy.

4. Cook the roux until it turns golden brown. That eliminated any raw flour taste and enhances the color and flavor of the gravy.

5. For a smooth gravy, whisk mixture constantly as you add the broth. If the broth is boiling, add it all at once; if it is just warm, add it gradually.

6. The last step is to simmer the gravy until it is reduced to a sauce consistency - in this case until it is thick enough to coat a spoon.