Mornay Sauce

Mornay sauce is basically Béchamel sauce with shredded cheese added such as Gruyère, Parmesan, Emmental or Cheddar and is ideal with fish, seafood or vegetables. The sauce is also a main ingredient in the authentic American Hot Brown sandwich, which is an open sandwich with turkey and bacon. It is covered in Mornay sauce, baked until the bread is crispy and the sauce begins to brown.

Ingredients

500 ml milk

50 g butter

50 g plain flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp white pepper

70 g cheese

2 egg yolk

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. Continue to whisk while bringing to the boil on medium heat. Add cheese and whisk until melted and combined. Take the sauce of the heat and whisk in the egg yolks.

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. Add cheese and whisk until melted and combined. Take the sauce of the heat and whisk in the egg yolks.

Note: Many chefs don’t use egg yolks in the sauce however it enriches the sauce as mentioned in Larousse Gastronomique.