British bread sauce is one of those dishes that sounds awful, but could not be simpler or more tasty. Traditional bread sauce is made of milk infused with the flavor of onions and spices, into which bread crumbs are added. It is generally served at Sunday lunch and at Christmastime, usually over poultry or roasts. Making bread sauce isn't complicated, and you can experiment with the proportions of ingredients to get the flavor and texture you prefer.
Step 1
Poke cloves into the rounded sides of both onion halves.
Step 2
Bring the milk to a gentle boil in a saucepan on the stove. Place the onions cut-side down in the milk.
Step 3
Add 1 tbsp. of the butter and the peppercorns, mace and bay leaf. Simmer the milk and flavorings for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 4
Pour the contents of the pot into a bowl, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the milk sit for at least 30 minutes.
Step 5
Strain the milk through a mesh strainer back into saucepan, and bring it back to a slow boil.
Step 6
Add the bread crumbs a little at a time, stirring constantly, until the bread sauce is thick and bubbly.
Step 7
Stir in the rest of the butter, the cream and a dash of nutmeg. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Tips and Warnings
- Use coarsely crumbed ciabatta bread for a richer and more flavorful bread sauce.
- Don't let the milk boil over or it will change the taste of the bread sauce.
Things You'll Need
- 4 to 6 cloves
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 4 cups milk
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 to 4 peppercorns
- 1/8 tsp. mace
- 1 bay leaf
- Plastic wrap
- Mesh strainer
- 1 loaf stale bread, crumbed coarsely
- 1/2 cup cream
- Dash of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
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