Béchamel sauce

Béchamel sauce, sometimes simply called white sauce, is one of the five French mother sauces. Made with just flour, butter, milk and seasonings it is incredibly easy to make once you learn the technique. Béchamel sauce serves as a base for many other sauces, most notably Mornay sauce (just add your favorite shredded cheese), but I mostly use it as is with pasta or in lasagna. You can also sweeten it with rum and use it in steamed bread pudding.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
1/2 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
Kosher salt, black pepper, and nutmeg

Place the milk in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. You want to scald the milk but do not bring it to a simmer.

While the milk is warming make a roux, which acts as a thickening agent. Start by melting the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. When the butter is melted add the flour and combine with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the roux is golden brown.

When the roux is golden brown and the milk is scalding, add the milk to the roux and use a whisk to dissolve the roux in the milk. Add about a teaspoon of salt and freshly-ground black pepper and nutmeg to taste. I like a lot of nutmeg.

Raise the heat to medium-high, whisk periodically, within a few minutes the sauce should start to thicken. If it is not thickening raise the heat and stay with it, whisking more frequently. Don't let the bottom burn. When you have the thickness you like remove from the heat.

Bon appetit!