Béchamel

Béchamel – a basic white sauce

Ingredients:

1 whole bay leaf

1 shallot (halved with the skin and root still on)

a handful of white peppercorns

1 pint of milk

2 cloves

Infusing the milk…

1. Pour 1 pint of semi skimmed milk into a medium heavy based pan
2. Next add your shallots, whole bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves (these are your aromats), bring to the boil, allow to cool and it will naturally infuse.

For the roux you will need…

6 grams of flour

a knob of softened butter

1. Melt a knob of softened butter into a medium heavy based pan, once melted add your flour. IMPORTANT NOTICE: make sure you remove all lumps and cook out the flour, otherwise your Roux will not be smooth

Combining the two…

1. Pour a steady stream of your infused milk (Béchamel) into your Roux pan, whisk constantly to thicken and make a glossy white sauce
2. Season to your own taste with salt and white pepper

N.B – Béchamel is a very versatile sauce allowing you to use it for many different such as; a classic mac n’ cheese, a parsley sauce (traditionally accompanying gammon), an egg sauce which is great with plaice, eggs florentine, fruit de la mer pie.