Bechamel Sauce and its 6 Variations

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Add butter to a large pot and melt it.
  2. 2Once the butter is melted, add an equal quantity of plain flour to the pot.
  3. 3Mix the butter and flour together and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it reaches a sandy consistency; this process is called making a roux.
  4. 4Remove the roux from the stove.
  5. 5Place milk into a separate pan and heat it up until hot, ensuring it does not boil to preserve the flavour.
  6. 6Place the roux back onto the stove on a low heat.
  7. 7Add the hot milk to the roux in small amounts at a time, mixing it in thoroughly before adding more, to achieve a smooth consistency.
  8. 8Once most of the milk is incorporated, use a whisk to fully blend the sauce until smooth.
  9. 9Season the Bechamel sauce with salt.
  10. 10For Mornay sauce, place a portion of Bechamel sauce on a low heat.
  11. 11Add Gruyere cheese and Cheddar cheese to the Bechamel sauce.
  12. 12Beat the cheese into the sauce on an extremely low heat until fully incorporated.
  13. 13To serve, pipe the Mornay sauce onto bread, followed by ham and cheese.
  14. 14Grill the sandwich to create a Croque Monsieur.
  15. 15For Soubise sauce, sweat down some sliced onions in a pan.
  16. 16Once the onions are soft, transfer them to a blender.
  17. 17Add a portion of Bechamel sauce to the blender with the onions.
  18. 18Blend until the sauce has a smooth, silky consistency.
  19. 19Serve the Soubise sauce plated with a lamb skewer and a drizzle of hot honey.
  20. 20For Mustard sauce, add mustard into a portion of Bechamel sauce.
  21. 21Add some pepper and tarragon to the sauce.
  22. 22Mix until all ingredients are combined.
  23. 23Plate the Mustard sauce with chicken and a drizzle of rapeseed oil.
  24. 24For Aurora sauce, add about 20% of tomato passata to a portion of Bechamel sauce.
  25. 25Mix the tomato passata into the Bechamel sauce.
  26. 26Combine the Aurora sauce with pasta for a simple rose sauce.
  27. 27Drizzle with oil and garnish with basil leaves.
  28. 28For Horseradish sauce, add fresh grated horseradish to a portion of Bechamel sauce.
  29. 29Add some creamed horseradish to the sauce.
  30. 30Add black pepper and a touch of vinegar, then mix to combine.
  31. 31Plate the Horseradish sauce with a steak, drizzled with a little oil and finished with Maldon salt.
  32. 32For Parsley sauce, start by adding lemon juice to a portion of Bechamel sauce.
  33. 33Next, add chopped parsley to the sauce.
  34. 34Mix until combined.
  35. 35Plate the Parsley sauce with a fillet of fish.

Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Plain flour
  • Milk
  • Salt
  • Gruyere cheese
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Bread
  • Ham
  • Onions
  • Lamb skewer
  • Hot honey
  • Mustard
  • Pepper
  • Tarragon
  • Chicken
  • Rapeseed oil
  • Tomato passata
  • Pasta
  • Oil
  • Basil leaves
  • Fresh grated horseradish
  • Creamed horseradish
  • Black pepper
  • Vinegar
  • Steak
  • Maldon salt
  • Lemon juice
  • Parsley
  • Fillet of fish

Equipment

Large potSpatulaWhiskSmall potInduction hobBlenderPanPiping bagKnifeWooden boardPlate

Tips

  • Cook the roux for 5 to 10 minutes until it has a sandy consistency.
  • Add hot milk to the roux in small amounts, mixing it in on a low heat to achieve a smoother consistency and avoid lumps.
  • Do not boil the milk for the Bechamel sauce as it will change the flavour.
  • For Mornay sauce, you can experiment with different cheeses; traditionally, only Gruyere is used.
  • When making Soubise sauce, it doesn't matter how you cut the onions as they will be blended until smooth and silky.
  • Traditionally for Bechamel, you'd add an onion studded with clove for flavouring the milk.