Cookbook:Béchamel Sauce (Beeton)

| Sauces

Béchamel or French white sauce (French: Sauce Béchamel) is a white rich sauce, used as a basic sauce for many dishes.

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

Procedure

 * 1) 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.
 * 2) In another saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the flour, and cook a little without browning to make a roux.
 * 3) 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.
 * 4) 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.
 * 5) Serve.