Bechamel Sauce

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) white stock
• 1 slice onion
• 1 slice carrot
• 1 small piece bay leaf
• 1 sprig parsley
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
• 1 ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, scalded
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

1. 1. Combine the white stock, onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley, and peppercorns in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, until the stock is fragrant and the vegetables have given up their flavor. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing the solids lightly; you should have exactly 1 cup (240 ml) of strained stock. Discard the solids.
2. 2. Scald the milk (scalding: heat milk in a separate small saucepan over medium-low heat to just below a simmer, approximately 180°F / 82°C, until small bubbles appear around the edges and steam rises; do not boil). Remove from heat and set aside.
3. 3. In a medium (2-quart / 2 L) heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, 1–2 minutes, until fully melted and foaming but not browned.
4. 4. Add the flour all at once and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk for 1–2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth, pale, and smells faintly nutty but shows no browning (this step is known as making a roux: cooking fat and flour together briefly to eliminate the raw flour taste).
5. 5. Gradually add the hot strained stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Pour in a thin, steady stream at first, whisking vigorously after each addition, until all the stock is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
6. 6. Gradually add the scalded milk in the same manner, whisking constantly until fully combined and smooth.
7. 7. Raise the heat slightly to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for 5–8 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and a finger drawn across the spoon leaves a clean line. The sauce should reach approximately 190–200°F (88–93°C) at this point.
8. 8. Remove from heat. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Use immediately, or press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.