After several days in a row of heavy rains, high winds and low temperatures, I developed a wicked craving for biscuits and gravy. I rarely make it myself because I can't top (or even match) my favorite almond gravy at Vita Cafe in Portland, Oregon. So, I don't make almond gravy. Instead, I usually go with a white bean-based gravy or, like this one, a hearty mushroom-thyme gravy.

Although I typically prefer my mushroom gravy over my old-fashioned rolled biscuits, I had a special request to make cornbread. I used the cornbread muffin recipe from my Southern Green Cornbread Cakes and left out the topping. I thought the cornbread muffins might be a suitable substitute for biscuits in this case. It's good to be right.

This particular recipe is loosely based on this one from Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Mushroom Gravy over Cornbread Cakes

Mushroom Gravy
Yield: About 3 cups

1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried Italian herbs
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 of a yellow onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz crimini mushrooms (half sliced thinly, half chopped)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
1-2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine water, onion powder, Italian herbs, garlic, salt, pepper and flour. Whisk to combine and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onions until just beginning to turn translucent.
3. Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme and sage. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add half of the water-flour mixture to the mushrooms and stir frequently until simmering. 
5. Add remaining water-flour mixture and simmer until the mixture thickens, approximately 5-7 minutes. 
6. Stir in nutritional yeast. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

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