5 days, 5 sauces: Day 2, Béchamel

The ingredients for Béchamel 

Tuesday is Béchamel, a thick sauce used in most heavy creamed dishes. It is made from a white roux, which is a combination of melted butter and flour. I was trying to think of an easy dish that everyone can use Béchamel in. What I came to realize is that if you have ever made macaroni and cheese from scratch before, you have successfully made Béchamel.

 Grated cheese for the Mac & Cheese

Putting it all together

 I started by melting butter in a heavy bottom pot. I then brought 1 quart of whole milk to a boil.  I added a couple of tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and whisked it together until thickened, becoming the base for my sauce. I then added the boiling milk and whisked until the milk was thick and tan in color. Next came the cheese, again be creative use two of your favorite cheeses but remember to choose firm cheese’s not brie or goat cheese (sadly). I chose a sharp white cheddar and Muenster cheese. I shredded the cheese and stirred them into the milk mixture. I then added my penne pasta, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and white and black pepper. To make my “mac” a little bit more special, I added frozen peas and sun-dried tomatoes! Lastly, I sprinkled breadcrumbs tossed with butter on top and popped it into the oven at 375 degrees until bubbly, creamy, and golden brown on top.

Out of the Oven, Ready to eat!!

Jeremy with the Mac & Cheese Béchamel 

My parents and I nearly ate the whole thing but we had to stop ourselves to save some for my brother (he’s in for a treat). Two sauces down, three to go, Chicken Veloute tomorrow.

Keep on cooking!!

Here's the recipe but you can also find it in the recipe section of JeremyCooks: 
Béchamel Sauce
Yield: 3 cups

Béchamel sauce is one of the 5 mother sauces and is considered a French classic. It is used in most heavy creamed dishes. It is made from a white roux which is a combination of melted butter and flour.

Ingredients:
-5 tablespoons butter
-4 tablespoons all purpose flour
-4 cups milk
-2 teaspoons salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Equipment:
Measuring cups
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Saucepot
Micro-pane

Process:
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until a smooth consistency (white roux). Cook over medium heat until he mixture becomes a light tan color. 6 to 7 minutes.

In the mean time, put the milk in a separate pan and heat until it boils. Add the hot milk to the white roux 1 cup at a time, whisking constantly until smooth. Bring sauce to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and season with salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Set-aside until ready to use.