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Bread Sauce

This buttery, creamy sauce, primarily made from bread and milk, but infused with flavours from onion, cloves, bay and nutmeg, is an absolute classic accompaniment for roast turkey or goose and a must at Christmas. Serves 4

Course Condiment
Keyword blueberry sauce, Bread, Christmas
Author Susan

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • ΒΌ teaspoon salt
  • 500ml full fat milk
  • 100g fresh white bread
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons fresh double/heavy cream
  • pinch of grated nutmeg

To serve:

  • knob of butter
  • drizzle of fresh double/heavy cream
  • flakes of sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Peel and slice the onion.

  3. Put the onion in a saucepan with the garlic, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt.

  4. Add the milk and bring to the boil. As soon as it comes to the boil, take it off the heat and leave to infuse for 1 hour.

  5. Make the breadcrumbs: rip or cut the bread into squares and blitz in the food processor until they are fine crumbs or your preferred texture.

  6. After 1 hour, strain the milk, wash out the saucepan and return the milk to the pan.

  7. Add the breadcrumbs and stir.

  8. Cook over a moderate heat for around 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the breadcrumbs are swollen and the sauce has thickened.

  9. Just before serving, stir in the butter, cream and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Take off the heat when it is all piping hot.

  10. Serve in a heated serving bowl with a knob of butter, a drizzle of cream and some sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • saucepan
  • chopping board and knife
  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • food processor

If making in advance:

Make as above, up to the end of point 8. Leave to cool and either cover and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or up to 1 month in the freezer. To serve, de-frost overnight in the fridge, if necessary, and reheat in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir well. Add a little milk until you reach the consistency you like. Continue from point 9.