Béchamel Sauce
HB-5366 · Hand-built original · French
A classic white sauce made by infusing milk with bay, mace, peppercorns and onion, then thickening it with a butter and flour roux.
FrenchOther1 hrMakes 425ml/¾ pint640 kcalVegetarianEgg-free
Main ingredient: pint
Pairs well with: baguette, green salad, ratatouille, pommes frites
Servings:425quantities adjust to match
Ingredients
- ¾ pint whole milk
- a few parsley stalks
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 blade of mace or a pinch of powdered mace (optional)
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 1 slice of onion, ¼ in thick
- 1½oz butter
- ¾oz plain flour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Put the milk in a saucepan with the parsley stalks, bay leaf, mace, peppercorns and onion slice. Bring slowly to a simmer, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain.
- Melt the butter in a clean saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes without colouring.
- Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the infused milk until smooth.
- Return to the heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and use at once.
Prep: 30 min · Cook: 30 min
Nutrition (per serving, where published)
640kcalCalories
16gProtein
34gCarbs
48gFat
1gFibre
19gSugars