Now this is the stuff. Rich beyond your wildest dreams, this sauce is not for the faint of heart. We think of it as Alfredo sauce on steroids, and it’s worth every calorie! At the Shop it’s a must-order with Chicken Meatballs (page 12). There’s pretty much nothing a ladle of this creamy sauce can’t improve—stir it into sautéed spinach for instant Creamed Spinach (page 100), or spoon it over steamed cauliflower, top with Parmesan cheese, and bake in the oven for the perfect gratin.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 cups

　　1 whole head garlic

　　2 cups whole milk

　　2 cups heavy cream

　　1/4 cup dry white wine

　　1/2 bunch fresh thyme

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

　　2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

　　

Step 1

Cut the head of garlic in half horizontally. Reserve one half for another use.

　　

Step 2

Place the milk, cream, white wine, garlic half, thyme, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so as not to scald the milk. Watch the mixture closely so that it does not boil over. Once the cream has come to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to its lowest setting and let the mixture simmer slowly for 45 minutes.

　　

Step 3

In the meantime, combine the butter and flour in a small bowl and mix together with the back of a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms.

　　

Step 4

Add the paste to the cream sauce and whisk continuously until the paste has completely dissolved and the sauce has thickened. Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the pepper and Parmesan. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow with Lauren Deen. Copyright © 2011 by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Daniel Holzman is executive chef at The Meatball Shop. He is an alum of Le Bernadin, San Francisco's Fifth Floor, and Aqua, among other highly acclaimed restaurants. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he received a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation.Michael Chernow runs the front-of-house operations and the beverage program at The Meatball Shop. He has worked extensively in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, where he earned degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. He and Holzman met as teenagers when they worked together as delivery boys at the New York vegan restaurant Candle Café. Needless to say, the vegan thing didn't really stick.Lauren Deen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cook Yourself Thin series and Kitchen Playdates. She is an Emmy award—and James Beard award— winning television producer and director. She is currently executive producer of food(ography) on the Cooking Channel.