Burnt-Leek Gravy

This gravy borrows from the Mexican and Vietnamese techniques of deeply charring or scorching aromatics to add depth and color to a dish. We broil a leek until blackened, then puree it with stock (or broth). It lends an earthy sweetness and a touch of smokiness to the gravy. Typically, only the white and light green sections of leeks are used in cooking, but we char even the dark-green tops. Just make sure to trim off the ends if they don’t look fresh. For convenience, make the gravy in advance and refrigerate it up to five days. Before serving, rewarm it in a saucepan, then add 1 to 3 tablespoons of defatted drippings from your roasted turkey. Or, skip the drippings altogether; the flavor is great even without.