Bread Sauce with Clove-Studded Onion
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking.
A gentle, creamy sauce made by infusing milk with onion and clove before thickening it with breadcrumbs and butter.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Stud. Stud the onion with the cloves and tie the bay leaf, thyme and parsley stalks together with string.
- 2
Infuse. Put the onion, herbs, 480 ml milk, salt and pepper in a saucepan, bring to just below a simmer, then keep on the lowest heat for 20 min without boiling.
- 3
Strain. Lift out the onion and herbs.
- 4
Thicken. Stir in 60 g breadcrumbs and the nutmeg and cook on very low, stirring, until thick and creamy, 5-8 min, loosening with a little milk or adding more crumbs as needed.
- 5
Enrich. Off the heat, stir in 30 g butter.
- 6
Serve. Spoon into a warm bowl, sprinkle with cayenne and parsley, and garnish with a bay leaf and a few cloves not to be eaten, then serve warm.
Storage
Best served warm straight away, though it can be covered and gently reheated, loosening with a little milk if it has thickened on standing. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
EU nutrition claims
- Source of protein: 3.1 g protein per 100 kcal, about 13% of energy (needs ≥ 12%)
Per serving, from the nutrition table. Condition from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0.6 g per serving
1.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 2.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- small saucepan
- kitchen string
- slotted spoon
- wooden spoon
- warm serving bowl or sauce boat
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 134 kcal |
| Protein | 4.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 13 g |
| of which sugars | 5.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.6 g |
| Fat | 7.3 g |
| of which saturates | 4.2 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g |
| Salt | 0.76 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.1 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values


