Getting Ready for Christmas Part 3 - Making the Bread Sauce and Freezing It
Bread sauce - one of those sauces that is made to complement the flavour of poultry especially chicken and Turkey. I tend to make mine ahead and freeze it using up bread that otherwise would get wasted. It is also lovely in a sandwich with cold chicken or Turkey and then a little smeared on the top and some left over stuffing as well with some cranberry jelly or sauce.
Ingredients:
1 large onion peeled and de-rooted, cut in half studded with about 18 to 20 whole cloves (the more you use the stronger the flavour so if you just want a subtle hint go steady.
couple of Bay leaves
Good sprinkling of white pepper
About a pint of milk - this varies as to how many people am cooking for
2oz butter
Pinch of Nutmeg
A couple of whole black pepper
About 4oz bread crumbs
A little fresh cream to finish (optional)
Put the milk, the prepared onion studded with the cloves, the bay leaves, sprinkling of white pepper nutmeg and whole pepper and bring everything up to the boil. Take off the heat and leave the mixture to steep (I do this overnight), but it can be achieved in about 2 or so hours but the longer the steep the more flavour is released.
The next stage is to remove the onion, bay leaves and peppercorns keeping the studded onion to one side. Stir in the breadcrumbs and add about half the butter and stirring in the mixture on a very low heat until the mixture has thickened. I tend to use a balloon whisk to do the stirring with as if the mixture goes lumpy it can be easily retrieved by a little wrist action. Now replace the onion in the mixture and leave in a warm place until just before ready to serve. Then take out the onion and cloves (making sure none of the same have released themselves from the onion as there is nothing worse than a whole clove in your mouth) and beat in the rest of the butter and a little cream tasting to check you are happy with the flavour and seasoning. Pour into a serving jug and keep warm until served;
If freezing once cold decant into pots pop on the lids and then bring out the day before you need to use it to defrost. It will then only need warming through. Sometimes it goes a little thick but you can add a little more milk, and butter or if not thick enough add some more breadcrumbs. It is quite forgiving.
Costs pennies to make not pounds!
It is quite easy to make but if you make it ahead and freeze it, its something ticked off the to do list and literally only needs
Catch you soon
I originally posted about this on the following link if you want to see the full post.
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