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Béchamel Sauce Recipe
Foundation for Many Sauces
A sauce, such as this Béchamel Sauce, works like a
seasoning. Sauces should enhance the flavors of foods, not
dominate them. This restaurant recipe is for a classic white
sauce used for “creaming” certain foods such as au gratin
potatoes, spinach and macaroni and cheese.
You can use it as a foundation for creating numerous other
delicious sauces such as Mornay sauce, Cheddar cheese
sauce, mustard sauce, just to name a few.
Béchamel Sauce Recipe
Preparation Time: 1 hour. Amount: 2 quarts.
Cooking Conversion Table
Ingredients:
4 ounces of clarified butter
4 ounces of flour
1/2 gallon milk
1/2 small onion, peeled
1 whole clove
1 small bay leaf
Salt, nutmeg, white pepper
Instructions:
To clarify butter:
Melt butter over very low heat
Skim off what comes to the surface
Slowly pour off the oil part into another container
Discard the solids
Heat clarified butter in a heavy sauce pot over low heat
Add the flour and make a white “roux.” Cool roux slightly
In another sauce pan, scald the milk and gradually add it to the roux, beating constantly
Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer
Stick the bay leaf to the 1/2 onion with the clove and add it to the sauce
Simmer at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
Adjust the consistency with more scalded milk if necessary
Season very lightly with salt, nutmeg and white pepper (spice flavors should not dominate)
Strain the sauce through a sieve lined with cheese cloth.
Cover or spread melted butter on surface to prevent skin formation
Use immediately or store in refrigerator
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