Bread Sauce

saucepan and baking tray

75g white bread
1 small onion
6 cloves
1 bay leaf
325ml milk
25g butter
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of nutmeg, optional
extra milk, for consistency

Preparing the Breadcrumbs

1. Remove the crusts from the bread, cut the crumb into slices and then into chunks.
2. Using your fingers, break the chunks into crumbs and spread them out on a baking tray.
3. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and leave overnight to stale.
4. Break the stale crumb into breadcrumbs.
5. If not using immediately the breadcrumbs can be bagged and frozen for up to three months.

Bread Sauce

1. Peel the onion and press the cloves into the top, bottom and sides.
2. Put the onion and bay leaf into a saucepan, add the milk, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
3. Add the breadcrumbs, stir and bring back to the boil.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave for 2–24 hours. When cold refrigerate as necessary.
5. Before serving the sauce, add the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg if used.
6. Stir in a little extra milk as needed to reach preferred consistency.
7. Re-heat gently for 5 minutes.
8. Stir the bread sauce and pour it into the serving dish without the onion.
9. Keep warm until serving.