Béchamel¶
 Serves |
 Total Time |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 20 minutes |
Ingredients¶
1 medium blond roux- 1 cup milk
- some salt
- some pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1 thick onion slice (optional)
2 whole cloves (optional)- 1 bay leaf (optional)
Cookware¶
- 1 medium saucepan
Instructions¶
Step 1¶
Make a blond roux.
Step 2¶
Remove the medium saucepan from the heat and slowly whisk in 1 cup of cold milk ⅓ at a time.
Step 3¶
Return the pan to heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to prevent clumps. Continue to cook, whisking until sauce is smooth and hot and has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 4¶
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Step 5¶
For better consistency, scald the milk before adding it to the roux. For improved flavor, add to the milk before scalding thick onion slice (optional), 2 whole cloves (optional), and 1 bay leaf (optional) to make an onion pique then cover and let stand for 15 minutes; remove the cloves and bay leaf, if used, and whisk into the roux.
Recipe Variations¶
| Sauce | Modification |
|---|---|
| Mornay | Add ½ cup grated cheese to 1 cup of hot sauce; stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Season with a little mustard or Worcestershire sauce to taste. |
| Velouté | Substitute chicken, beef, fish, or vegetable broth for the milk. |
| Herb | Add 1 teaspoon of freshly chopped herbs or ½ teaspoon dried herbs to 1 cup of hot sauce. Cook for a minute or two longer to get more flavor from the herbs. |
| Cream | Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the finished sauce. For an onion flavor, add an onion slice to the milk when heating; remove onion slice before adding milk to flour and butter mixture. |
| Mustard | Combine 1 teaspoon dry mustard to flour used in sauce. This sauce is especially good with fish and chicken. |
Source¶
- Joy of Cooking