BECHAMEL SAUCE

By t1bishop

Bechamel, one of the "mother" sauces in classic French cuisine, is versatile: It's used in dishes such as lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and moussaka, and it can also serve as the base for souffles, soups, and savory pie fillings. What's more, add a little Swiss cheese, and voila-you've got Mornay Sauce (see recipe below). We call for white pepper so it isn't seen, but that can be omitted.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• Dash of freshly grated whole nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash of ground white pepper

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat;bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Strain milk mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids.

2. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add flour to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add strained milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook 9 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper.