Bread Sauce II is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic sauce of bread and water flavoured with the fowl giblets, onion, black peppercorns and mace that's enriched with a little cream or melted butter. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Bread Sauce II.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
BREAD SAUCE II. (to serve with Roast Turkey, Fowl, Game, &c.).
372. INGREDIENTS.—Giblets of poultry, 3/4 lb. of the crumb of a stale loaf, 1 onion, 12 whole peppers, 1 blade of mace, salt to taste, 2 tablespoonfuls of cream or melted butter, 1 pint of water.
Mode.—Put the giblets, with the head, neck, legs, &c., into a stewpan; add the onion, pepper, mace, salt, and rather more than 1 pint of water. Let this simmer for an hour, when strain the liquor over the bread, which should be previously grated or broken into small pieces. Cover up the saucepan, and leave it for an hour by the side of the fire; then beat the sauce up with a fork until no lumps remain, and the whole is nice and smooth. Let it boil for 3 or 4 minutes; keep stirring it until it is rather thick; when add 3 tablespoonfuls of good melted butter or cream, and serve very hot.
Time.—2-1/4 hours. Average cost, 6d.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 set of giblets from the poultry the sauce is to be served with
trimmings from the bird (head, neck, wingtips etc)
340g fine breadcrumbs (from a stale loaf)
1 onion, quartered
12 whole black peppercorns
1 blade of mace
salt, to taste
3 tbsp cream (or melted butter)
600ml water
Method:
Combine the poultry giblets and bird trimmings in a pan with the onion, peppercorns, mace, salt and 600ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour then strain the liquid over the bread (place in a clean pan). Cover the pan then cook very gently over low heat for 60 minutes.
After this time, beat up the sauce with a fork until the mixture is completely smooth. Place back on the heat and boil for 4 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened.
Take off the heat and stir in the cream (or melted butter). Turn into a sauce boat and serve immediately. The sauce should be served very hot.
