For Alberta Co-op Basics Week day 3, I’m sharing a recipe for a White Sauce done 3 ways. This is the definition of a kitchen basic, serving as a foundation for numerous recipes. Adding in cheeses, herbs and spices can transform it into an endless number of sauces and gravies, limited only by imagination! Every cook needs a recipe like this in their arsenal.
Ingredients
Thin White Sauce
- 1 T butter
- 1 T flour
- 1 1/4 C milk heated
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Medium White Sauce
- 2 T butter
- 2 T flour
- 1 1/4 C milk heated
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Thick White Sauce
- 1/4 C butter
- 1/4 C flour
- 1/4 C milk heated
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Servings:
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour and cook until the mixture, called a roux, begins to thicken and bubble, but not brown.
- Stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Add salt & pepper, lower the heat, and cook for about 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Recipe Notes
- The milk should be warm, not hot. Heat over low until almost bubbling. Do not boil.
- To prevent a film from forming on the finished sauce, pour a very thin layer of milk over the top after removing from heat. Stir in before serving.
- For a more authentic Béchamel, add a pinch of nutmeg and a bay leaf along with the salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving.
- To make a cheese sauce , add 1/2C grated cheese to the finished Medium White Sauce and stir well. Mix with cooked macaroni or cauliflower and bake at 350-400° for 30 minutes, and you've got a quick and easy meal.
- Squeeze the cloves of 1 head Roasted Garlic into the finished sauce for a decedent topping for simple steamed vegetables. Add a few cups chicken or vegetable stock and you have an elegant Roasted Garlic Soup.
- Never buy "Cream of _____" soup again! Use this as the base to make your own.
How do you use Basic White Sauce? Let us know in the comment section below!
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