Background: I'm trying to transition from a white-knuckled dependence
on recipies to a more logical approach to cooking.

I have some boiled chicken (remains of making soup) and wish to serve
it over rice. Previous posting about gravies and sauces points out I
can contrast the meat with the sauce; since this is rice and boiled
chicken pieces, it seems a rich sauce would be more appropriate than
say a bechamel (sp?)

I have some bacon grease (blush) stored away for my Lousiana moments,
and it seemed to me that if I was thinking rich, the flavor of the
grease would be a good start. So I started with a roux, brought to a
rich choc. color. Then I add a can of beef broth (previous thread from
a reasonable cook: Swanson's lo-sodium broths make a reasonable
substitute for stock). Stir like mad to disolve the lumps and begin to
reduce, tasting as I go.

Reduced for about :10 and tasted; added pepper and a pinch of cayenne.
Stirred- still sort of bland - that's where my imagination abandoned
me.

Added the chicken chunks to warm and served over rice.

Bland, bland, bland and this morning I have a leftover taste in my
mouth I attribute to bacon grease.

Would like to hear what I logically did right/wrong here - Thanks,
Mike