Bread sauce with flaked almonds & caramelised shallots

Method

• step 1

  Tip the milk, 25g of the butter, the bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme sprig, garlic and shallots into a pan. Bring to a simmer over a low heat and cook for 20 mins, stirring every now and then, so the milk doesn’t catch.

• step 2

  Meanwhile, melt the rest of the butter in a small frying pan over a low heat and cook for 8-10 mins until it turns a nutty brown colour. Remove the pan from the heat.

• step 3

  Remove the shallots from the milk using a slotted spoon and transfer to kitchen paper to drain. Leave to cool. Strain the milk, discarding the solids, and return it to the pan.

• step 4

  Tip all but a few of the almonds into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Stir into the pan of milk along with the breadcrumbs.

• step 5

  Finely slice the cooled shallots. Add these and the oil to the pan of brown butter and fry over a medium-low heat for 20-25 mins until the shallots have caramelised. Remove from the heat and spoon all but 1 tbsp into the milk mixture.

• step 6

  Simmer the milk mixture over a medium heat for 3-4 mins, stirring frequently. Stir in the cream, then spoon into a serving bowl. Will keep covered and chilled for up to three days. Season with a grating of nutmeg, if using. Spoon over the reserved shallots and scatter over the remaining almonds.