Chestnut Sauce

This sauce is the traditional accompaniment to roast turkey served at Christmas.

2 oz. butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, scraped and finely sliced

3 fl. oz. sherry

2 tablespoons flour

12 fl. oz. chicken stock

bouquet garni, consisting of parsley sprigs, 1 thyme spray and 1 bay leaf tied together

½ teaspoon salt }- teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper 8 oz. chestnuts (weighed after

peeling), boiled and chopped

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt three-quarters of the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and carrot, reduce the heat to low and cook the vegetables for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the sherry and simmer for 5 minutes, or until it reduces a little in volume. Stir in the flour and cook gently for 5

minutes. Add the stock, bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add the chopped chestnuts and cook

for 10 minutes more.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.

Rub the mixture through a strainer placed over a saucepan, or puree it in blender. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook the sauce, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the remaining butter and serve

immediately.