Bechamel

[jackal10]

Bechamel

• 4oz/100g white roux
  
• 1 pint/600ml milk
  

Method

If you don't have a ready made roux available, take 2oz/50g of unsalted butter and 2 oz/50g of flour and put them in a saucepan.

Stir over moderate heat until the flour is well coated with the melted butter, and you can’t see any flecks of flour. You are trying to get each and every grain of flour coated in the hot butter without cooking it so long that it browns

Infuse the flavouring (if used) in the milk and heat until just below boiling

Add the milk all at once by it pouring through a strainer into the pan containing the roux. This way, the infused flavourings will be strained out at the same time. Stir well and return to the heat. Keep stirring. The lumps will even out.

Let it simmer very gently for a while, around 10 minutes. Strain again as insurance against lumps and to ensure the smoothest possible sauce.

Check the texture. If it is too stiff add a little more milk. It should be a nice sauce consistency with an almost neutral taste

To prevent a skin forming, melt a knob (1oz/25g) of butter over the top. When it is time to server the sauce, stir in the melted butter. This sauce can be reheated but does not freeze well.

Keywords: Sauce, eGCI

( RG692 )