Creamy bread & shallot sauce

• butter↗25g g
• small shallot↗140g g

  quartered

• cloves↗6
• bay leaves↗2
• whole milk↗600ml ml
• crustless white bread↗100g g

  (ideally cut from a loaf), cubed

• double cream↗150ml ml
• just over ½ nutmeg

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Melt the butter in a deep non-stick pan. Add the shallots, cloves and bay leaves, and gently cook for 10 mins over a low heat until the shallots are soft and colouring a little. Pour in the milk, then part-cover the pan and leave to simmer on a very low heat for 10 mins.

2. 2

   Remove the cloves, then add the bread and cream to the shallot mixture. Grate in half the nutmeg, then cook for 5 mins, or until the bread absorbs the milk and starts to break down a little but still has a texture. Can be made 1 day ahead (you may need to thin with a little milk). Grate over the remaining nutmeg to serve.