Liven up Your Turkey Sauce With Nutritional Yeast
The nutritional yeast known as nooch in my studio apartment is best known for its zesty, cheesy flavor, which it imparts to vegetarian and vegan dishes and popcorn. But yellow cereal has uses for more than just their hippie endeavors, especially when working with sauces and gravies.
The sauce is essentially a “thick broth”, but it shouldn’t taste that much. A good turkey sauce is hot, rich, and silky, and nutritional yeast can help you achieve these goals. Restraint is the key.
When used in large quantities, the more cheesy quality of nooch appears. But when used in small amounts, this dampness is perceived as a subtle, pungent, creamy note. It will also thicken the gravy a bit, which is good if you don’t feel like making cornstarch gruel or beurre mani .
One tablespoon of nutritional yeast per cup of sauce is sufficient; bigger, and your gravy will taste just nuch. Grind any larger flakes with a mortar and pestle (or food processor), then sprinkle them over a teaspoon in hot sauce, whisking until completely dissolved. Let the gravy taste after a couple of teaspoons and repeat until the gravy is as savory as you like.