Béchamel Sauce

I tried to think back to when I first learned to make béchamel or white sauce. I would wager a guess that I was about 10 and experimenting with my first attempts at proper “mac & cheese”. What I know for sure was that I found the recipe in a thick and withered paperback version of the Betty Crocker cookbook that was on the bookshelf mixed in with the encyclopedias. I have since studied this sauce with better resources. I have a full understanding of the principles and uses of a “roux”, and have made it hundreds of times using the more classic French techniques that weren’t laid out by Betty.

This is a great multipurpose sauce, good for gratins, Italian sformato, croquetas, croque Madame and baked pastas such as lasagna, which is what I primarily use it for most times.

Béchamel is meant to be silky, smooth and fluid, not stiff and lumpy. A whisk, heat control and a watchful eye are key to success. You can store it but its best to make it for a specific recipe and use it all.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour

2 tsp fine salt

1 tsp cracked white pepper

3 cups whole milk

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 shallot, skin removed and cut in half

1-2 fresh or dry bay leaves

METHOD

In a heavy bottomed saucepan slowly simmer the milk with the cut shallot, nutmeg and bay leaves. Do not bring to a boil, heat over low to warm the milk and infuse with the aromatics.

In a separate saucepan prepare the roux by melting the butter with the flour, salt and pepper over medium heat. Use a whisk to incorporate the flour and butter creating a loose paste. Keep whisking/stirring for 8 minutes until the flour taste has cooked out. If your mixture starts to brown past a pale tan colour, lower your heat.

Remove the bay leaves and shallot from the warm milk. Slowly pour the warm milk into the butter/flour mix while whisking, to prevent lumps. Maintain the heat on medium and continue to whisk gently as the sauce begins to thicken about 6-8 minutes. It should be smooth and thickened, put pourable.