Vegetarian gravy

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 small onions
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 4 carrots
• 2 mushrooms
• 1 tbsp, heaped tomato paste
• 1 tbsp red wine
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ liters vegetable broth
• salt and pepper
• Paprika powder
• n. B. Bay leaf
• e.g. rosemary
• Rapeseed oil
• 15 g cornstarch

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

Dice the onions, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms. Heat a little oil in a deep saucepan and fry the diced vegetables until well browned. Add the tomato paste and fry vigorously. Deglaze with a little water and allow the liquid to reduce. Repeat this process three times until the sauce reaches a nice dark color. Mix the vegetable stock, wine, and vinegar together and pour over the vegetables. Season (I personally omit the bay leaf and rosemary because I find it too intense) and simmer over low heat for at least an hour. Strain the sauce through a sieve and let stand for a while, then skim off the excess oil. Season again with spices. Mix the starch with a little water and, after sieving (to ensure there are no lumps), add it to the sauce. Bring the sauce back to a boil in a saucepan, stirring constantly. The sauce can also be used to make a cream or mushroom sauce with cream.