Christmas Bread Sauce Recipe

Traditional Sauces to Accompany the Festive Turkey

Nov 25, 2007 Corinne Lutton

Recipes for Creamy Bread Sauce, Cumberland Sauce and Cranberry and Orange Sauce

Creamy Bread Sauce Recipe

The onion puree in this recipe can be made up to 2 days in advance. Simply cover and store in the fridge.

50g (2 oz) unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium onions peeled and sliced
200ml (7 fl oz) double cream
1 bay leaf
5 cloves
150g (5 oz) white breadcrumbs
570ml (1 pint) whole milk
freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat, add the onions and salt and cook gently and stir for 6-8 minutes until soft but not coloured.
Add the cream, bay leaf and cloves. Cover and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and cloves. Place in a food processor and blend to a puree. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Put the breadcrumbs and milk into a pan and bring to the boil, stirring until smooth.
Simmer for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick.
Add the onion puree, heat and season with freshly grated nutmeg and more salt, if required.

Serves 10

Cumberland Sauce Recipe

This sauce is delicious with leftover ham and turkey and can be made up to 1 week in advance.

2 oranges, washed
1 lemon, washed
2 small shallots, peeled and finely sliced
150ml (5 fl oz) port
a 340g jar of redcurrant jelly
2 teaspoons English mustard

Method

Using a potato peeler, pare off the rind of the oranges and lemon, leaving behind the white pith.
Finely slice the rind into thin slivers about 2 cm (3/4") long.
Boil a small pan of water and add the slivers of rind and shallots and boil for 2 minutes.Drain into a sieve.
Halve and juice the oranges and lemon and pour into a pan, adding the remaining ingredients together with the cooked zest and shallots.
Bring to the boil, stirring to blend in the mustard, then simmer over a low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, until syrupy.
Transfer to a bowl, cover and leave to cool. The sauce will thicken, without setting as it cools.

Serves 8

Cranberry and Orange Sauce Recipe

Can be prepared several days ahead and stored in the fridge.

450g (1 lb) cranberries
juice of 2 oranges
125g (4 1/2 oz) caster sugar

Method

Place the cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
Cover and simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in the sugar, turn the heat up to medium and simmer for a further 10 - 15 minutes, until the juices are reduced and syrupy.
Transfer to a bowl and serve at room temperature.

Serves 10

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