Bechamel sauce

Béchamel, one of the four French mère—mother—sauces, is a simple white reduction of a roux and milk. Béchamel is named after Louis de Béchameil, with whom the sauce was dedicated in an attempt at flattery. This mixture is absolutely delicious over broccoli, or in lasagna, or coating a croque-monsieur, but its most common use is as a base for enhancement—as a foundation for sauce aurore, au Cari, Chivry, crèame, mornay, mustard, or Soubise.

Photo of bechamel over broccoli by flickr user bocadorada, used under Creative Commons license by-sa

Makes one cup.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon gray salt
very small pinch freshly-grated nutmeg

Bring the milk with the gray salt to a boil in a saucepan. Once boiling, lower heat to a simmer.

In a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once bubbling, add the flour and nutmeg. Stir, cooking slowly, for about two minutes, until the butter and the flour are incorporated but not brown. You now have a white (uncooked) roux.

Remove the roux from heat. Pour in the heated milk. Beat vigorously and constantly with a whisk until fully incorporated.

Return to heat and bring to a boil. Let boil one minute, whisking often. The sauce is now ready for use or enhancement.

Variaton: This recipe makes a "thick" sauce. Use 1.5 tablespoons of flour for a medium thickness, or "normal," sauce. Use one tablespoon for a thin sauce.