A classic French béchamel sauce, smooth, white, and velvety, made with a pale butter roux, hot milk, and restrained seasoning of salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.
Ingredients
- 500 ml fresh whole milk
- 40 g unsalted butter
- 40 g type 45 wheat flour
- 0.5 pieces yellow onion
- 1 leaf dried bay leaf
- 1 piece whole clove
- 2 pinches fine salt
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 1 pinch whole nutmeg
Method
- Pour the milk into a saucepan with the onion, bay leaf, and clove. Heat over low heat until barely simmering, without bringing it fully to a boil: small bubbles should appear around the edges and the milk should take on a light aromatic fragrance.
- Turn off the heat, cover, and leave to infuse for a few minutes. Then remove the onion, bay leaf, and clove to keep the sauce perfectly smooth and white.
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. It should foam gently without browning; if it turns brown or smells nutty, the heat is too high for a white béchamel.
- Add the flour all at once to the melted butter and immediately mix with a whisk or spatula. Cook the roux over low heat, stirring constantly, until it is smooth, pale, and lightly foamy, without taking on any color.
- Off the heat, pour a small amount of the hot milk onto the roux while whisking vigorously. The mixture will first thicken considerably: continue until you have a smooth paste with no pockets of flour.
- Return to low heat, then add the remaining milk gradually, continuing to whisk. Wait until each addition is fully incorporated before continuing: the sauce should loosen little by little while remaining smooth.
- Cook the sauce at a very gentle simmer, stirring regularly, especially in the corners of the saucepan. It is ready when it coats the spoon, the whisk leaves a brief trail on the surface, and there is no longer any raw flour taste.
- Season with the salt, white pepper, and a very light grating of nutmeg. Whisk once more, then use immediately or keep warm over very low heat with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 194.4 kcal
- Protein
- 5.44 g
- Carbohydrate
- 14.69 g
- Fat
- 12.71 g
- Fibre
- 1.3 g
- Calcium
- 154.7 mg
- Iron
- 0.68 mg
- Magnesium
- 25.98 mg
