Basic White Sauce or Béchamel
Use as a binding sauce to pie mixes, like turkey, ham and mushroom or corn, asparagus and courgette. Use as a base to a pasta sauce. Use a thinner version as a sauce to meat, fish and vegetarian main courses. Use as the topping to Lasagna and Moussaka. Use as the binder in Macaroni cheese or pasta bake or gratin's - O.K. it’s never ending, I’ll stop now !!!
Preparation time: 5 minutes Quantity: Makes 1 pint / 550 ml Cooking time: 10 - 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 pint milk
2 oz / 60g butter
2 oz / 60g plain flour
tip teaspoon mustard - optional
1 clove garlic - optional
1/2 diced onion - optional
touch of ground nutmeg - optional
For a Cheese Sauce add -
Add 2 oz / 60g grated cheese
For a Parsley Sauce -
Add 2 tablespoons curly parsley - chopped
For a Mushroom Sauce -
Add 2 oz / 60g of sliced mushrooms cooked in a knob of butter and 1 clove crushed garlic - optional
For Blue cheese Sauce -
Add 2 oz / 60g of crumbled stilton, Danish blue, cashel blue or dolchelatta cheese
Method
All in One Method -
- Place all ingredients to a pot
- Simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally
- When soft and thickened, liquidise or pass through a sieve
- Season to taste
- Stir in other flavours like cheese, herbs or cooked vegetables
Proper Method -
- Bring the milk, onion, garlic , nutmeg and mustard to the boil and set aside
- In a saucepan melt the butter
- Add the flour and cook, stirring all the time, until the roux ( = cooked butter and flour mix) leaves the side of the pan or is less sticky - or simple cook for 2 - 3 minutes
- Add a ladle full of strained milk at a time
- Cook on a low heat, stirring until all the milk has absorbed in to the roux
- Carry on until all the milk has gone and the sauce is smooth and thickened
- For a thicker sauce add less milk
- For a thinner sauce add more milk
- Season to taste