Bechamel Sauce & Variations

Yeild: 4 Lit

Ingredients:

• 4 lit milk
• 1 small onion, peel
• 1 whole clove
• 1 bay leaf
• to taste salt
• to taste ground white pepper
• to taste nutmeg

Roux:

• 250 ml clarified butter
• 250 g bread flour

Procedure:

1. heat butter in a saucepan ... over low heat ... add flour ... make white roux ... cool slightly
2. in another saucepan ... scald milk ... add in roux gardually ... beating constantly
3. bring to a boil ... stir consantly ... reduce heat to simmer
4. add bay leaf, onion, clove to sauce ... simmer for 15 - 30 mins ... stirring while cooking
5. adjust consistency with more hot milk
6. season lightly with salt, pepper, nutmeg
7. strai n sauce ... spread melted butter on surface ... prevent skin forming
8. keep hot in bain marie ... or cool in cold water bath for later use

Variations:

• for Cream Sauce ... add 120 ml heavy cream, heated, tempered ... to 1 lit  Bechamel Sauce ... season to taste
• for Mornay Sauce ... add 120 g grated gruyere cheese or 60 g parmesan cheese ... stir till melted ... off heat ... finish with 60 g butter ... thin with hot milk or stock if necessary   ... to 1 lit  Bechamel Sauce ... season to taste
• for Mornay Sauce Glazing or Gratining ... finish Mornay Sauce with 2 egg yolk and 120  ml heavy cream
• for Cheddar Cheese Sauce .. add 240 g cheddar cheese, 0.5 tsp dry mustard, 2 tsp worchester sauce to 1 lit Bechamel Sauce ... to 1 lit  Bechamel Sauce ... season to taste
• for Mustard Sauce ... add 120 g prepared mustard ... to 1 lit  Bechamel Sauce ... season to taste
• for Soubise Sauce ... add 450 g onions, diced, cooked slowly over low fire in butter without browning ... simmer with 1 lit  Bechamel Sauce ... strain ... season to taste
• for Nantau Sauce ... add 180 g shrimp butter, 120 ml heavy cream ... to 1 lit  Bechamel Sauce ... season to taste
• for Classic Nanatua Sauce ... add 180 g cray fish, 120 ml heavy cream ... to 1 lit  Bechamel Sauce ... season to taste