SAUCE BOWL RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Get a saucepan and a heatproof mixing bowl that will sit stably over the pan. Half-fill the pan with water and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat as low as it can go but still have the water simmering.
  2. Place the butter in a medium pan over a low heat, so it starts to melt but doesn’t burn. When the butter has melted, take it off the heat.
  3. Place the egg yolks in your heatproof mixing bowl, which you should then place over the pan of just-simmering water. It’s important that the saucepan is on a low heat, or the eggs will scramble.
  4. Using a balloon whisk, start to beat your eggs, then whisk in your white wine vinegar.
  5. Keep whisking, and then start adding the melted butter by slowly drizzling it in, whisking all the time, till all the butter has been incorporated. The result should be a lovely, smooth, thick sauce.
  6. Season carefully with sea salt and black pepper, and loosen if necessary with little squeezes of lemon juice. Keep tasting the sauce until the flavour is to your liking.

Steps:

• 1. Peel the onion, leaving it whole, then spike it with the cloves.
  2. Put the spiked onion into a medium saucepan with the bay leaves, milk and a few pinches of sea salt and black pepper. Finely grate in a few scrapings of nutmeg.
  3. Place the pan on a high heat and bring to the boil – keep a close eye on it as milk comes to the boil very suddenly. Reduce to a low heat and simmer very gently for 5 minutes to let the flavours infuse. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, cut the crusts off of the ciabatta loaves. Tear 1½ loaves into chunks and pulse them in a food processor until you have coarse breadcrumbs.
  5. Strain the milk through a sieve into a jug, discarding everything left behind in the sieve.
  6. Return the milk to the pan and bring back to the boil over a high heat. Reduce to a medium heat and simmer, gradually stirring in the breadcrumbs until you’ve used them all up.
  7. Add the butter and cream to the pan, stir well, then have a taste and season with a little more salt and pepper, if needed.
  8. Have a look at the sauce – you want it to be the perfect consistency for you. If it’s too runny, blitz the remaining ciabatta and add some more breadcrumbs, if it’s a little thick, add more milk. Transfer to a jug or bowl and serve.
  9. If you’re making this for another day, you want the consistency to be a little looser than you’d like as it will thicken as it sits, so add a bit more milk. When you’re happy with the consistency, spoon into a bowl and leave to cool. Once cool, cover the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge until Christmas Day.