Béchamel Sauce

1 cup milk
1 bay leaf
1 onion or shallot, finely chopped
5 whole peppercorns
1 oz. butter
2 tbsp. plain flour
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat milk slowly on low heat to scolding point with bay leaf, onion (or shallot) and peppercorns. Remove from heat, cover and stand for 7-8 minutes. Melt butter in small heavy saucepan, remove from heat, stir in flour, cook for about one minute. Strain the slightly cooled milk mixture and add all at once to the heavy saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until boiling. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

User Reviews:

A real Bechamel Sauce is only made with milk. I use white pepper just so you don't see it in the sauce. This worked fine and I liked the bay leaf in it.

submitted by einar on October 31, 2003

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