Basic Bechamel White Sauce With Variations Including Au Gratin Recipes

BASIC MEDIUM BéCHAMEL SAUCE WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan or saucier over medium heat. Add flour and stir until mixture is well blended. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
• Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce begins to boil and thickens.
• Simmer, stirring frequently, over very low heat for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and add a little nutmeg, if desired.

BASIC BECHAMEL (WHITE) SAUCE WITH VARIATIONS INCLUDING AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook over medium, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• NOTE - It is best to use warm to hot liquids when making sauce, which helps to prevent lumps. Also, constant stirring will help prevent the sauce from scorching on the bottom. If sauce turns lumpy, whisk vigorously with a wire whip or strain through a wire sieve before serving.
• Stir in milk or other liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Option: Reduce milk by the same amount you add white wine, sherry or brandy will create a lovely flavor.
• CHEESE SAUCE - Once sauce is made, remove from heat and stir in 1/2 to 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese (or whatever flavor compliments what you are making -- better yet use 2 different cheeses), stirring until melted. To Au Gratin anything use this sauce mixed with potatoes, veggies, meats or whatever and heat through. Top with seasoned bread crumbs and more cheese finishing in the broiler.
• CURRY SAUCE - Stir in 1/2 teaspoon curry powder with the flour.
• DILL SAUCE - Stir in 1 teaspoon chopped fresh, or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed and a dash of ground nutmeg with the flour.
• MORNAY SAUCE.
• Add 1/2 cup grated cheese to 1 cup of hot sauce; stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Season with a little mustard or Worcestershire sauce to taste.
• VELOUTE SAUCE.
• Substitute chicken, beef, fish, or vegetable broth for the milk.
• HERB SAUCE.
• Add 1 teaspoon of freshly chopped herbs or 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs to 1 cup of hot sauce. Cook for a minute or two longer to get more flavor from the herbs.
• CREAM SAUCE.
• Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the finished sauce. For an onion flavor, add an onion slice to the milk when heating; remove onion slice before adding milk to flour and butter mixture.
• MUSTARD SAUCE.
• Combine 1 teaspoon dry mustard to flour used in sauce. This sauce is especially good with fish and chicken.

SAUCE BECHAMEL (WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine in a small saucepan over very low heat, the milk, onion (whole), bay leaf, allspice, and nutmeg.
• Simmer gently for 15 minutes, uncovered, to infuse flavors into the milk.
• Discard the onion, bay leaf, and allspice.
• Meanwhile, melt in a medium, heavy saucepan over low heat the butter.
• Stir in the flour, cook uncovered, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or spatula, over medium-low heat until the roux is just fragrant but not darkened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and return the saucepan to the heat.
• Bring the sauce slowly to a simmer, whisking to prevent lumps, and cook, stirring often and skimming any skin that forms on the surface, over low heat without boiling, until it reaches the consistency of thick cream soup, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Straing through a fine-mesh sieve, if desired.
• Season with salt & white pepper.

BECHAMEL (WHITE SAUCE)

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly, about 2-3 minutes.
• Gradually add in the milk, stirring constantly, until thoroughly incorporated into butter mixture.
• Add salt, pepper, oregano, and minced garlic (I like using my garlic press for this). Stir frequently until thickened. See note for tip on thinning.

BASIC WHITE SAUCE WITH VARIATIONS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes to cook away the raw taste of the flour.
• Add the milk all at once. Stir well, and continue heating until mixture comes to a boil. It will thicken as it heats.
• Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• To make Veloute Sauce: Substitute the chicken stock for the milk.
• To make Cheese Sauce: Stir in shredded cheese of choice into the cooked Basic White Sauce and stir until melted.

MAGIC WHITE SAUCE (AND VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Pour milk into a saucepan.
• Add all other ingredients.
• Place pan over a medium heat, and, using a wire balloon whisk, whisk sauce constantly until butter melts.
• Be sure to work the whisk into the edges of the pan to incorporate all the flour.
• Whisk frequently until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
• Taste and add extra seasoning if required.
• Variations: Mustard Sauce Make sauce as per recipe, but use 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup chicken stock.
• Along with the salt, add 2 teaspoons mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder and substitute a good pinch of cayenne pepper for the black pepper.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice when sauce is completed.
• Cheese Sauce Make sauce as per recipe, but use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream.
• Along with the salt, add a good pinch of nutmeg and substitute a good pinch of cayenne pepper for black pepper.
• At the simmering stage stir in 75g- 100g grated tasty cheese (I like a mixture of mature cheddar and parmesan).
• Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice when sauce is completed.
• Parsley Sauce Make sauce as per recipe, but use 1 ¾ cups milk and ¼ cup cream.
• When sauce is finished, mix in 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

BASIC BECHAMEL (WHITE SAUCE)

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until blended, 1 minute. Add the paprika and/or nutmeg (if using) and add the bay leaf.
• Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.
• Increase the heat to medium and simmer to blend the flavors, 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaf before using.
• Now you can use your sauce any way you like. Like I said before, my personal favorite use is for making Recipe #514039, but I also like eating this bechamel, AS IS, on veggies or making a cheese sauce (see *Notes below). Enjoy!
• *Note: For a thinner sauce, reduce the flour and butter to 2 tablespoons each, but stay the same with the liquid(s). (I highly recommend this if you plan to make a cheese sauce with this (posted below).
• *Note: To create a cheese sauce, whisk 1/2 cup (or more) of grated Gruyère, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Sharp Cheddar or Farm-house White Cheddar (my fav) or any other cheese into the finished béchamel sauce. If a lighter cheese sauce is desired, substitute chicken stock for part of the milk, or use a lesser amount of the flour & butter ratio (like posted above).