Basic Béchamel Sauce

Béchamel sauce (White Sauce) is a base sauce used in many European classic recipes especially in France and Italy. It is also a base sauce for other sauces such as Mornay, Nantua, Mustard, Soubise, Cheese and Crème. It is by tradition made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white roux which is equal weight of  butter and flour. The other method is whisking kneaded Beurre Manié into scalded milk. Thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk weight against flour. White Sauce or Sauce Blanche can also be a simple sauce made with only milk and melted butter.

This Béchamel sauce is perfect with any fish, pasta or steamed vegetable dish or simply add some chopped herbs such as parsley.

Béchamel

Ingredients

500 ml milk

50 g butter

50 g plain flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp white pepper

Methods

Method 1: Melt butter in a saucepan on low heat and mix in the flour with a whisk. Add milk, salt and pepper while whisking. Bring to the boil on medium heat while whisking.

Method 2: Melt butter in a saucepan on low heat, mix in the flour, salt and pepper with a whisk. Bring milk to the boil in a separate saucepan. Pour boiling milk in the saucepan with the flour mixture while whisking. Bring to the boil on medium heat while whisking and set aside.

Note: This is a thick white sauce and when cooled can be piped onto dishes which can be heated up in the microwave. Pipe some béchamel on a croissant sprinkle some cheese and melt in the oven. If you like a thinner sauce add juice from steamed vegetables, white wine, chicken or vegetable stock, more milk, water from boiling potatoes and other clear liquids that will improve the sauce.