France / Sauces & condiments
Béchamel Sauce (Beeton)
Béchamel or French white sauce (French: Sauce Béchamel) is a white rich sauce, used as a basic sauce for many dishes.
Ingredients
- plain flour, (1½ oz) of40 g
- butter, (2 oz) of40 g
- milk, (1¼ pints) of; or white stock700 ml
- onion or shallot, small1
- bouquet-garni, small; parsley, thyme, bay leaf1
- peppercorns10
- bay leaf1/2
- cayenne1/2 tsp
- nutmeg1/2 tsp
- salt1/2 tsp
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 5 steps
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.
Region evidence: recipe text — “French white sauce”
