In a small sauce pot, gently warm milk – be careful not to boil or scorch.
In a medium sauce pot, melt butter over medium heat.
Whisk flour into butter to create a roux – be careful not to brown.
It should be about the consistency of wet sand.
While whisking, slowly add warm milk to the roux.
Do not add all the milk at once.
Add part of it, whisk until there are no more lumps, then add some more.
Ensure no lumps remain.
Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to cook just until raw flour flavor is cooked out.
Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.
When it is done right, it should coat the back of a spoon, and when you drag your finger across the back of the spoon, you should see the space in the middle where you have removed the sauce with defined rows of sauce flanking it.
Once complete, the sauce can be seasoned and flavored in any number of ways, depending on the final application.
Soubise
One such application is a Soubise, which is an onion sauce.
Sauté enough sliced or diced onions in butter to properly flavor the sauce to your liking.
In a food processor or a blender, combine the onions and Béchamel until the onions are petty much unrecognizable.
Strain the sauce to remove all of the onion bits so you have a nice, smooth sauche.
Serve with fish or chicken.
Béchamel sauce, one of the five classic 'mother sauces' in French cuisine, forms the foundation for countless dishes from creamy gratins to the perfect croque madame. This silky white sauce begins with a simple roux of butter and flour, gradually enriched with warm milk until velvety smooth. Master this technique and you'll unlock endless culinary possibilities – transform it into a cheese-laden Mornay sauce for decadent mac and cheese or add puréed onions for a delicious Soubise to accompany meats and vegetables. - Claude
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Servings
Yields 1 quart (about 4 cups)
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Per Serving (1/4 cup - Béchamel sauce only) - Calories: 83; Total Fat: 6g (Saturated Fat: 3.5g); Cholesterol: 17mg; Sodium: 25mg; Total Carbohydrates: 5g (Dietary Fiber: 0g, Sugars: 2g); Protein: 2g; Calories from Fat: 54 (65%)
*Nutrition information is provided as a general estimate only. Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients, and is based on available nutrient data. Variations may occur based on ingredient brands and preparation methods.