B\u00e9chamel is one of the five mother sauces in French cooking. Multiple the quantity as needed. You can also change the ratio of butter\/flour to milk to change the consistency of the sauce.<\/p>\n
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat (do not allow it to brown). Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until raw flour scent is gone, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk in a thin, steady stream, or in increments of a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking thoroughly and getting into all corners of the pan to maintain a homogeneous texture. Sauce will initially become very thick, then get very thin once all the milk is added.<\/p>\n
Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes.<\/p>\n
Season with salt and pepper. Add nutmeg to taste, if using. If any lumps form, simply whisk thoroughly to remove them and smooth out sauce, or use a hand blender or countertop blender if lumps are particularly large or tough. Use sauce right away, or press a piece of plastic wrap over surface of sauce to prevent a skin from forming and keep warm until ready to use. Sauce can be cooled and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days. Reheat very gently on the stovetop or in a microwave to use.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Yield: 1 cup adapted from Daniel Gritzer \/ Serious Eats B\u00e9chamel is one of the five mother sauces in French cooking. Multiple the quantity as needed. You can also change the ratio of butter\/flour to milk to change the consistency of the sauce. 1\u00bdTBS unsalted butter 1\u00bdTBS all-purpose flour 1cup whole milk Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (optional) In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat (do not allow it to brown)….<\/p>\n