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Category: Meat

Figgy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

Figgy Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

with Roasted Carrots & Thyme Potatoes

Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Fig jam, balsamic vinegar, and fresh rosemary mingle with the fond—the crispy bits and drippings left by the pork.
Want to know the secret to extra toasty roasted potatoes? Put your baking sheet in the oven before heating it up. The spuds will sizzle and crisp when they hit that hot surface.

Prep: 10 Cook: 30

  • 12oz potatoes
  • 1shallot
  • 12oz carrots
  • 5tsp balsamic vinegar
  • ¼oz thyme
  • 10oz pork tenderloin
  • 2TBS chicken stock concentrate
  • 1fig jam
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • cooking oil
  • butter


Prep:

Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce.

Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Strip thyme leaves from stems, chop leaves until you have 2 tsp. Halve, peel, and finely chop shallot.

Roast veggies:

Toss potatoes on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, half the chopped thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Toss carrots on empty side with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until tender and crisp, 20-25 minutes.

Sear pork:

While veggies roast, pat pork dry with paper towels, season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pork and sear, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 4- to 8-minutes (it’ll finish cooking in the next step).

Transfer to a second baking sheet.

Roast pork:

Roast pork on middle rack until cooked through, 10-12 minutes.

Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes, then thinly slice crosswise.

Make pan sauce:

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in pan used for pork over medium heat. Add shallot and remaining chopped thyme. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3- to 4-minutes.

Stir in stock concentrate, vinegar, jam, and ¼ cup water. Simmer until thick and saucy, 2- to 3-minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in 2 TBS butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve:

Divide potatoes, carrots, and pork between plates. Drizzle pan sauce over pork and serve.

One-Pan Banh Mi–Style Beef Tacos

One-Pan Banh Mi–Style Beef Tacos

with Pickled Cucumber & Sriracha Mayo

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Combining tender meat, crunchy pickled veggies, fresh cilantro, spicy chiles, and creamy spreads, the Vietnamese banh mi is one of our all-time favorite sandwiches. Here, we take all those same flavors and textures and channel them into some seriously delicious tacos. Tangy-sweet beef is piled into warm tortillas with sautéed carrots, pickled cucumber, cilantro, and Sriracha mayo.
Prep: 5 Cook: 20

  • 1lime
  • 10oz ground beef
  • 4TBS sweet soy glaze
  • 6wheat flour tortillas
  • 1mini cucumber
  • 5tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2TBS mayonnaise
  • ¼oz cilantro
  • 4oz shredded carrots
  • 1tsp sriracha
  • salt & pepper
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 2tsp cooking oil


Prep:

Wash and dry produce.

Halve lime. Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise, thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. Finely chop cilantro.

Pickle cucumber:

In a small bowl, combine half the vinegar (you’ll use the rest later), juice from half the lime, ½ tsp sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Stir in cucumber. Set aside to quick pickle.

Cook carrots:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium high heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring, until just tender, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Turn off heat, transfer to a plate.

Cook beef:

Heat another drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add beef, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes.

Stir in sweet soy glaze and remaining vinegar. Bring to a simmer, then immediately turn off heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Make sriracha mayo:

In a second small bowl, combine mayonnaise with Sriracha to taste. Season with salt. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

Finish & serve:

Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30 seconds.

Divide tortillas between plates and fill with saucy beef, carrots, pickled cucumber (draining first), and cilantro. Drizzle with Sriracha mayo. Cut the remaining lime into wedges and serve on the side.

Roasted Garlic Butter Sirloin

Roasted Garlic Butter Sirloin

with bacon-cheddar broccoli

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Home Chef

Shrimp, black beans, scallions, salsa, and sour cream atop a bed of fluffy rice.
Prep: 10 Cook: 20
Note: Seems to have forgotten the potato.

  • 12oz broccoli florets
  • 12oz sirloin steaks
  • 1oz shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1oz cream cheese
  • 1TBS butter
  • ½oz bacon bits
  • 4garlic cloves
  • 2tsp mirepoix broth concentrate
  • 1tsp steak seasoning
  • ½tsp potato spice seasoning
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • cooking spray


Before you cook:

Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before cooking and after handling raw meat or seafood

Remove all produce from any packaging or constraints, then thoroughly rinse and pat dry

Turn oven on to 425°F. Let preheat, at least 10 minutes

Set butter on counter to soften

Prepare a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray

Refer to minimum internal temperature chart on front of card for your protein

Customize it instructions:

If using chicken breasts, pat dry. Cook until chicken reaches minimum internal temperature, 5-7 minutes per side.

If using filet mignon, pat dry. Cook until steak reaches desired doneness, or 4-6 minutes per side for medium/medium-well. Rest, 3 minutes. Steak thickness can vary, if you receive a thinner steak, we recommend checking for doneness sooner.

If using salmon, pat dry. Add salmon, skin-side up first, and cook until salmon reaches minimum internal temperature, 4-6 minutes per side.

Prepare the ingredients:

Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Trim discolored ends, if necessary.

Halve garlic. Place garlic halves on a piece of foil and spray with cooking spray. Form a foil pouch around garlic.

Roast the broccoli and garlic:

Place broccoli and bacon on prepared baking sheet and toss with potato seasoning and a pinch of pepper. Spread into a single layer, leaving room for garlic pouch.

Place garlic pouch on empty space on sheet, opening side up.

Roast in hot oven until garlic is tender and broccoli has browned, 15-20 minutes.

While broccoli and garlic roast, continue recipe.

Cook the steaks:

Pat steaks dry and season both sides with steak seasoning.

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 tsp olive oil.

Add steaks to hot pan and cook until steaks reach desired doneness, or 4-6 minutes per side for medium/medium-well.

Steak thickness can vary, if you receive a thinner steak, we recommend checking for doneness sooner. Remove from burner. Transfer steaks to a plate and cover with foil. Rest, 3 minutes.

Make the cheese sauce:

Place a small pot over medium heat. Add mirepoix base, cream cheese, and ¼ cup water to hot pot. Bring to a simmer.

Once simmering, stir occasionally until cream cheese has fully melted, 1-2 minutes.

Stir in shredded cheese until fully melted and combined, 1-2 minutes.

Remove from burner.

Make garlic butter and finish dish:

Transfer roasted garlic to a mixing bowl and add softened butter and a pinch of salt. Mash until smooth and thoroughly combined. Garlic will be hot! Use a utensil. Set it aside.

Plate dish as pictured on front of card, topping steak with garlic butter. Garnish broccoli with cheese sauce. Bon appétit!

 

Beef & Wine Ravioli with Mushrooms

Beef & Wine Ravioli with Mushrooms

with Caramelized Onions

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Dinnerly

Ravioli stuffed with red wine braised beef and paired with caramelized onions, mushrooms, parmesan, and chives.
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 4oz button mushrooms
  • 1yellow onion
  • 9oz beef & wine ravioli
  • ¼oz fresh chives
  • 1/8tsp baking soda
  • 1oz beef stock concentrate
  • 3oz parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • sugar
  • 3TBS butter


Cook mushrooms:

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Trim mushroom stems; thinly slice caps. Halve onion; thinly slice. Thinly slice chives. Finely grate Parmesan, if necessary. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Start caramelized onions:

In same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until sugar is light brown, 1–2 minutes. Add onions and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned and softened, 5–7 minutes.

Finish caramelized onions:

To skillet with onions, add 1 tablespoon water; cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Continue adding 1 tablespoon water at a time and scraping skillet until onions are deeply browned and completely soft, another 4–5 minutes.

Cook ravioli:

Add ravioli to saucepan with boiling water (if stuck together, gently pull apart only if possible, without tearing). Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 3–4 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain. To skillet with onions, add ravioli, mushrooms, ½ cup of the cooking water, broth concentrate, and 1 tablespoon butter.

Finish & serve:

Cook ravioli, onions, and mushrooms over high heat, tossing to coat, until glazed and saucy, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of the Parmesan; stir well until melted and sauce is silky. Loosen sauce with more cooking water, if necessary. Serve short rib ravioli sprinkled with chives and more Parmesan, if desired. Enjoy!

Parmesan-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Parmesan-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

with Roasted Potatoes & Green Beans

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Dinnerly

Tender pork, rolled around a two-cheese combination, and then seared to golden perfection and finished in the oven. Roasted potatoes and green beans round out the plate.
Prep: 10 Cook: 30

  • 10oz pork tenderloin
  • 12oz potatoes
  • 8oz green beans
  • 2TBS cream cheese
  • 1/8tsp garlic powder
  • 3TBS parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • butter


Prep pork:

Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the lower third. Cut each piece of pork horizontally (parallel to cutting board) almost completely in half. Open pork up like a book and place pork between sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or heavy skillet, pound each to an even ⅛-inch thickness.

Season pork:

Finely grate Parmesan, if necessary. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, half of the Parmesan, ⅛ tsp granulated garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper, mash with a fork until combined. Spread half of the mixture over one side of each piece of pork. Roll up and transfer, seam-sides down, to a plate. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Roast potatoes & beans:

Scrub potatoes, then cut into ¼-inch thick wedges. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Roast on lower oven rack until just tender, 12–15 minutes. Trim ends from green beans. Remove baking sheet from oven; add green beans, and drizzle with oil, stirring gently to combine with roasted potatoes.

Brown pork:

Brush pork lightly with oil; season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add pork; cook until browned in spots, 4–5 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet and top with remaining Parmesan. Roast on lower rack until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F and beans are tender, 8–10 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate to rest.

Make sauce & serve:

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet over medium. Remove from heat and whisk in ⅛ teaspoon granulated garlic, 1 tablespoon each of water and vinegar, and 1 tablespoon butter until melted, season with salt, pepper, and ½ teaspoon sugar. Slice parmesan-stuffed pork, then spoon pan sauce over top. Serve with green beans and potatoes alongside. Enjoy!

One-Pan Pork Enchiladas Verdes

One-Pan Pork Enchiladas Verdes

with Mexican Cheese Blend & Hot Sauce Crema

Mild, tomatillo-based salsa adds a sweet kick to pork filling and coats tortillas with a subtle tang. A zesty cheese topping turns brown and bubbly in the oven, then everything’s cooled with crema and scallion greens.
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 1long green pepper
  • 2scallions
  • 1tsp hot sauce
  • TBS sour cream
  • 10oz ground pork
  • 1TBS southwest spice blend (see below)
  • 8oz green salsa
  • ½cup Mexican cheese blend
  • salt & pepper
  • cooking oil


Prep:

Heat broiler to high. Wash and dry produce.

Halve, deseed, and thinly slice green pepper crosswise into strips. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Make crema:

In a small bowl, combine sour cream with hot sauce to taste. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pepper:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably ovenproof, pan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until pepper is softened and lightly blistered, 5- to 7-minutes.

Cook filling:

Add a drizzle of oil, pork, scallion whites, and Southwest Spice Blend to pan with green pepper, season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes.

Stir in 1⁄4 of the salsa (you’ll use the rest in the next step), taste and season with salt and pepper.

Turn off heat, transfer filling to a medium bowl. Wipe out pan.

Assemble enchiladas:

Top with remaining salsa and sprinkle with Mexican cheese blend.

Finish & serve:

Broil enchiladas until browned and bubbly, 3- to 4-minutes.

Tip: Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Southwest Spice Blend

1 TBS

4          parts garlic powder        2 tsp
2          parts cumin                     ¾ tsp
2          parts chili powder           ¾ tsp

Egg Roll Skillet

Egg Roll Skillet

Yield: 4

The Kitchn

A veggie-rich take on the classic Chinese appetizer that you can eat as dinner.
When you need a quick one-pan dinner that has tons of veggies and protein, look no further than this egg roll skillet. Inspired by the tasty filling in Chinese egg rolls, this ground pork skillet requires very little chopping thanks to a bag of coleslaw mix, but it’s full of ginger and garlic and all the hallmark flavors you expect from egg rolls.

Note: Needs a starch or something crunchy.

  • 1TBS olive or vegetable oil
  • 1lb ground pork
  • 1medium yellow onion, diced
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3cloves garlic, minced
  • 1TBS minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 1(14-oz) bag coleslaw mix
  • 2TBS soy sauce
  • ¼cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 1tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1tsp rice vinegar

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through, and the onion is tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the coleslaw mix and soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the scallions, sesame oil, and vinegar, and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Whip-Flop-Glop (Pork)

Whip-Flop-Glop (Pork)

with Onion, Carrots, and Broccoli

Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

A quick Pork Stir-Fry with Fresh Vegetables.  This version uses a technique called “velveting” on the pork.  The pork is coated with a mixture of corn starch, egg white and oil and set aside for a bit before cooking.  This can form a bit of crust on the pork as it cooks that absorbs and holds the sauce.

  • For Pork:
  • 8-12oz boneless pork cutlets, sliced thin, and cut into matchsticks.
  • 1-2heaping TBS corn starch
  • 1pinch white pepper
  • 1egg white
  • 1tsp soy sauce
  • ½TBS oil
  • Vegetables:
  • 1onion, julienned
  • 2medium carrots, sliced thin on diagonal
  • 1small to medium bunch broccoli, cut into florets and stem thinly sliced on diagonal
  • 1heaping tsp garlic, minced
  • 1heaping tsp ginger, minced
  • Sauce:
  • 1cup chicken stock
  • 2-3TBS hoisin sauce
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • 1TBS corn starch mixed with 2 TBS water for slurry
  • 2TBS oil
  • 2scallions chopped to ¼ inch rings (optional)


Velvet Pork:

Add pork to a medium bowl. Sprinkle on corn starch, white pepper. Add egg white and mix well. Add oil and mix. Set aside

Premix Sauce:
Mix sauce ingredients and set aside.

Make Slurry:
Mix slurry and set aside.

Blanch Broccoli
In a 6 qt pot add broccoli to salted boiling water blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and cool in ice water.

Stir Fry Pork:
Heat 2 TBS oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot. Add pork and stir-fry until cooked through, separating the pieces as it cooks. Remove pork to bowl. Leave any oil in pan.

Stir Fry Vegetables:
If needed add another TBS oil to wok. Add onion and carrots to wok. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup water to wok and cover. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove cover stir fry until tender. Add blanched broccoli, garlic and ginger and stir fry for a minute.

Sauce:
Add sauce mixture to wok, bring to a boil. Add slurry and mix to desired consistency.
Return pork to wok and stir to coat.
Adjust seasoning. Add optional scallions.
Serve.

Meatloaf with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Meatloaf with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

with Broccoli (or Green Beans) & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 2

Very Simple Meatloaf with a delicious mushroom sauce.

  • 12oz potatoes
  • 2scallions
  • 8oz broccoli florets
  • or
  • 6oz green beans
  • 10oz ground beef
  • ¼cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 4oz button mushrooms
  • 2tsp Better Than Bouillon beef
  • 3TBS sour cream
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • 2TBS butter
  • salt & pepper


Prep & cook potatoes:
Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.
Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens, mince whites.

Cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces or trim green beans.

Place potatoes in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid, then drain and return potatoes to pot.


Form meatloaves:
While potatoes cook, in a large bowl, combine beef, panko, scallion whites, ½ tsp garlic powder, and 1 TBS water, season generously with salt and pepper.
Form mixture into two 1-inch-tall loaves.


Roast loaves & vegetable:
Place meatloaves on one side of a lightly oiled baking sheet. Toss broccoli or green beans on empty side with a drizzle of oil, season generously with salt and pepper.
Roast on top rack until meatloaves are cooked through and broccoli (or green beans) are browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.


Make sauce:
While everything roasts, trim and thinly slice mushrooms. Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2-4 minutes.
Stir in stock concentrate and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.
Turn off heat. Stir in 1½ TBS sour cream and 1 TBS butter until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper.


Mash potatoes:
Heat pot with drained potatoes over low heat, add 1 TBS butter, 1½ TBS sour cream, and ½ tsp garlic powder.
Mash until smooth and creamy, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper.


Serve:
If necessary, reheat pan with sauce over low heat, to warm through.
Place a meatloaf on each plate. Divide mashed potatoes, and broccoli or green beans between plates. Spoon sauce over meatloaves. Top with scallion greens and serve.

Jumbo Stuffed Shells

Jumbo Stuffed Shells

Yield: 14

Billy Parisi

Video

These amazing stuffed shells recipe is baked in a classic tomato and white sauce with delicious meat and ricotta cheese filling. Prep Time 1 hour, Cook Time: 90 min.

My first batch made at least 40. I froze half on a sheet tray and then they will go in a freezer bag.

  • 12oz box of jumbo shells
  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1peeled small diced yellow onion
  • 2finely minced cloves of garlic
  • 8oz loose Italian sausage
  • 8oz ground beef 85/15
  • 5oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 2TBS chopped fresh basil
  • 1lb fresh mozzarella, diced small (1/4-inch)
  • 16oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1large egg
  • 24-32oz tomato sauce
  • 1batch béchamel sauce, about 1 qt (see below)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Make the béchamel sauce (below).

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Boil the shells until al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water, which takes about 8-9 minutes while gently stirring. Remove the shells from the water, chill in an ice bath and then spread out on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and set to the side.

Add the olive oil to a large rondeau pot over medium heat and cook the onions until lightly browned, which takes about 10 minutes. Next add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add in the Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Make sure to cut it down into small pieces.

Mix in the baby spinach just until wilted and then transfer the mixture to a large plate and slightly spread everything out and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Once cool transfer to a large bowl along with the basil, ½ the amount of small, diced mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, large egg, and salt and pepper, and mix until completely combined.

Using a small spoon or a piping bag stuffed with the meat and cheese filling, stuff each shell until they are completely full. I was able to get 28 stuffed shells.

Evenly pour the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 13×9 casserole dish until it is coated.

Next, randomly pour ¾ of the béchamel sauce on top of the tomato sauce. See Video.

Line up as many stuffed shells as possible over the sauces. You may need to cook some in a separate dish if they all do not fit.

Sprinkle on remaining small, diced mozzarella and ½ cup of grated Parmesan all over the top and bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top.

Garnish with optional chopped parsley or basil.

Make-ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s done cooking. You can however keep it warm covered in the oven at 200°F for up to 30 minutes before cooking. In addition, if you want to prepare everything, you can assemble everything if it’s cold and chilled and then refrigerate covered 1 day before baking and serving. Add 10 minutes to your baking time since everything will be cold going into the oven.

How to store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. You can freeze in the sauces or separate.

How to reheat: Add the number of stuffed shells with sauce to a saucepan and cover with foil and heat at 350°F in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until hot.

It is ok to have leftover shell pasta as some of them will tear in the cooking and cooling process. Feel free to discard or keep the leftovers after stuffing.

I had 8 shells that did not fit into the casserole dish, so I baked them in a small separate dish.

Béchamel Sauce

Yield: 1 batch
Billy Parisi

Learn how to make a classic béchamel sauce that is incredibly simple to prepare and excellent for sauces and pasta dishes. 25 minutes.

  • 1quart of whole milk
  • 2ounces unsalted butter or 4 TBS
  • 2ounces all-purpose flour or 6 TBS
  • ¼onion peeled but left intact
  • 1bay leaf
  • 1clove
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • salt and ground white pepper to taste

Add the milk to a medium-size saucepot over low heat until it scalds, see note.

Make a roux from the butter and flour and stir it in to the warm milk until it is completely mixed in and smooth and bring just to a boil to thicken and then turn the heat back down to low.

Next, make a 1” slit into the top of the onion and push the bay leaf into the slice and press the clove into the onion as well and then place the entire thing right into the bechamel sauce and cook for 15 minutes to infuse the flavor.

Add in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix in with a spoon.

Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer like a chinois or through some cheesecloth in a regular strainer. The sauce should be silky smooth.

Chef notes:

Make ahead: You can make this sauce up to 2 days ahead of time.

How to store: Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze the sauce as it will break when thawing it.

How to reheat: Simply place your desired amount into a small sauce pan and whisk over low heat until thick.

You’ll know it’s scalded if you tilt the pan back to yourself and see bubbles clinging to the bottom of the pan but not sticking to it.

If the sauce gets too thick when making it or reheating it, simply add a ¼ cup of hot milk at a time until it is to a thinner consistency.

You must wait for the sauce to boil after mixing in the roux for it to thicken, other wide it will remain on the thinner side.