Basic Bechamel And Variations
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 cup milk
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
opt: 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Melt the butter in a saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk and stir with a wire whisk over medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil and has thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Mornay Sauce: Add 2 T grated Parmesan cheese and 2 T grated Gruyre cheese.
Cheese Sauce: Add 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese, a dash of cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tsp dry mustard.
Veloute Sauce: Substitute 1 cup chicken, fish, or beef stock for the milk.
Aurore Sauce: Add 1 T tomato paste.
Sauce Soubise or White Onion Sauce: Saute 1 chopped medium onion in 2 T butter until transparent. Add to recipe of veloute or basic white sauce and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Strain before serving.
Curry Sauce: Add 1 T curry powder and cayenne pepper.
Horseradish Sauce or Sauce Albert: Add 3 T horseradish, 2 T whipping cream, and 1 T sugar.
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.