One of the basic Mother Sauces which are the foundation for many dishes. A white roux made with butter and AP flour and whole milk.
Estimated Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 16Servings
Here's What You Need
4tablespoonsButter
3tablespoonsall purpose flour
2cupswhole milk - warmed
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper - optional
Grated nutmeg - optional
Here's What You Do
Just before you start, warm the milk in a saucepan or the microwave but don't let it boil. Set aside.
In a large sauce pan over low heat, melt the butter until bubbly. Add the flour.
Make a blond roux by whisking the flour and butter until smooth and thick but not browned, about 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and slowly add the warmed milk, about ¼ cup at a time, continue whisking until smooth, waiting until the milk is fully incorporated into the roux before adding the next ¼ cup of milk.
Once all the milk has been incorporated in this manner, add a pinch of salt and return the heat to low.
Continue to whisk the sauce while on a low boil. The sauce will thicken the more you cook it. It is ready when the sauce is like thick cream and will coat the back of a soup spoon when dipped in the sauce.
As an option, grind some white pepper and/or grate about ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg into the sauce.
Notes
For a thinner sauce, don't cook it long, for a thicker sauce, cook longer.This recipe makes about 2 ½ cups of sauceThis sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for a short while. To reheat, place over a low fire and whisk constantly until it reaches the desired consistency.