Easy Sauce Recipes : The Béchamel Sauce
Sauce recipes have long had a reputation for extensive preparation times, sometimes up to an entire day. However, here we discover that not only can sauce recipes be quick and easy, but cheap too.
When it comes to easy sauce recipes, you cannot beat the classic French white sauce; Béchamel.
The Béchamel Sauce
During the reign of Louis XIV in France, 1650, Béchamel sauce was first invented. Prepared by cooking veal stock, milk and seasonings over a low heat, followed by straining the sauce through a sieve and finally, adding cream.
A later version saw a basis of a white ‘roux’ – a butter and flour mix – adding milk, salt, pepper and onion into the mixture. This continued to be cooked slowly, on a low heat for 20 minutes.
Béchamel forms the basis of numerous other sauces, and most surprisingly, from preparation to larder or table – it takes only 25-30 minutes.
Top Tips For Success
Easy, and cost-effective, this sauce contains a base of kitchen staples, including butter, flour, milk and seasoning – so don’t feel you need to go straight to the shops; check to see what you have to hand already.
The key to success with any sauce is to not rush, take your time and really attend to the process. This could not be truer with the Béchamel sauce.
Another great tip is to make sure to sieve it well in the final stage; lumps and bumps can ruin a meal, make sure it is smooth and perfect before serving or storing.
The Béchamel recipe is highly adaptable to your personal preferences; the thickness of the sauce will depend on how much flour and butter is used. The greater quantities used, the thicker the sauce will be. For a thin and runny sauce, use one tablespoon of both butter and flour, whilst for a thicker sauce, for example – to use in croquettes – use three tablespoons of both.
It really could not be easier.
Recipe Ideas
Now you have your creamy white sauce, what to create?
The options are endless, from a Vegetable Bake to a Mornay Sauce. But for a delicious, hearty meal, let’s look to a classic, Macaroni Cheese.
Taking your béchamel sauce, add cheese – and lots of it. If to your taste, why not introduce some mustard powder or nutmeg? Finally, pour over a dish of cooked macaroni before baking.
About the author: Francesca Rilotelli is a writer and fan of easy sauce recipes.
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