This basic recipe for a medium-thick white sauce takes only about 5 minutes to make. The recipe and its variations make a cup of sauce, but can easily be doubled.
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper
In a 1-1/2 to 2 quart pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and cook, stirring, until butter-flour mixture (a ‘roux’) is bubbling and foamy. (The flour must be cooked long enough to eliminate the raw flour taste, but not so long as to color beyond a light gold.) Remove pan from heat and, using a wire whisk, gradually blend in milk. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring, until sauce is smooth, thick and boiling. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 1 cup
VARIATIONS:
Veloute’: prepare White Sauce, but use regular-strength chicken broth instead of milk. Good with any cooked vegetable and poultry.
Cheddar Cheese Sauce: prepare White Sauce, but stir 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese into finished sauce and simmer until cheese is melted. Good with broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and other vegetables.
Mornay Sauce: prepare White Sauce, but stir a dash of nutmeg and 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese into finished sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. Good with broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, crab, oysters, scallops, fish, poultry, pasta and eggs.
Curry Sauce: prepare White Sauce, but add to butter 1-1/2 teaspoon curry powder and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger along with the flour. Good with carrots, cauliflower, shrimp, lamb, poultry, and eggs.
Dill Sauce: prepare White Sauce, but stir 2 teaspoon dill weed, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice into finished sauce. Good with green beans, carrots, potatoes and fish.
Mustard Sauce: prepare White Sauce, but stir 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard into finished sauce. Simmer for 1 minute. Good with broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, potatoes, poached or baked fish and poultry.
Mushroom Sauce: Melt butter for White Sauce. In it cook 1/4 pound sliced mushrooms until soft. Proceed with recipe, but use 1 cup half-and-half (light cream) instead of milk. Stir 2 teaspoon each lemon juice and dry sherry into finished sauce. Good with green beans, potatoes, spinach (in creamed spinach), and ground beef patties.