Traditional Bread Sauce

Bread Sauce is the traditional accompaniment to any roast fowl here in the UK. Along with various types of stuffing and, these days, cranberry sauce too.


My family LOVES bread sauce and cannot imagine Christmas Day (or any roast chicken dinner) without it. Ginger has asked what on earth it is! {g}

Here's a recipe.

Ingredients

110g/4 ozs freshly made white breadcrumbs from a stale (2 day old) loaf. Don't even think about making it with a fresh loaf. I've even made this with white bagels and it was great!

1 large onion
9-10 whole cloves
9-10 whole black peppercorns
1-2 bay leaves
freshly grated nutmeg
600 mls/1 pint whole milk, or creamier than usual milk
50 g/ 2 ozs butter
2 Tablespoons double (thick) cream
salt/pepper

Cut the onion in half and stick the cloves in it. Place the clove-studded onion in a pan with the milk and grated nutmeg, bayleaf and peppercorns. Add a little salt and bring up to boiling point. Take it off the heat, put a lid on the pan and leave it to infuse for a couple of hours.

To make the sauce, first remove the bits and pieces (onion etc) and keep them to one side. Stir in the breadcrumbs and add half the butter. cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the crumbs have swollen and thickened the sauce, probably 10-15 mins.

When thickened, replace all the flavourings (onion, peppercorns, bayleaf) and leave in a warm place until ready to serve.

Just before serving, remove the onion and spices. Reheat gently, beating in the rest of the butter and the cream. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Pour into a warmed serving dish, jug or gravy boat. Add another little dot of butter on the top to prevent a skin forming.

MMMMMMMmmmm. Yum.