Béchamel Sauce (Beeton)
Béchamel or French white sauce (French: Sauce Béchamel) is a white rich sauce, used as a basic sauce for many dishes.
- Time
- 30 minutes
- Yield
- 4 cups
Ingredients
- 40 g (1½ oz) of plain flour
- 40 g (2 oz) of butter
- 700 ml (1¼ pints) of milk (or white stock)
- 1 small onion or shallot
- 1 small bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf)
- 10 peppercorns
- ½ bay leaf
- ½ tsp cayenne
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
Method
- Put the milk into a saucepan and place on the hob. Add the onion or shallot, the bouquet garni, peppercorns, mace, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil.
- In another saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the flour, and cook a little without browning to make a roux.
- Stir in your hot milk mixture and whisk over the heat until it boils, then bring down the temperature and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Strain and pass through a sieve or muslin, return to the saucepan, and season lightly with ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cayenne, and ½ tsp salt.
- Serve.