Luxe Cheese Sauce
This sauce is essentially the same as Mornay sauce. I like to make it ahead to reduce a step when making Eggs Florentine.
Tasty over eggs? Better for pasta?
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 T butter
- 2 T all purpose flour
- 1 c milk
- 1/2 c grated Gruyere, aged for sharper taste
- 1/4 t corn starch
- white pepper, (optional)
- salt to taste
Béchamel Base
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly. Roux should become pale golden and frothy. About 1 minute. NB: Do not allow to brown, but do not undercook or the sauce will taste of flour.
- Add milk slowly; whisk to mix. Continue stirring. Bring sauce to a slow boil, about 3 minutes. Sauce will thicken.
Cheese
- Before making Béchamelbase, toss cheese with corn starch, coating evenly.
- Once Béchamelbase has thickened, stir in cheese 1/4 c at a time; stir until melted. Repeat until all cheese has melted.
- Season with white pepper and salt.
If the sauce is too thick, add warm milk 1 T at a time.
To store, seal in an air-tight container and refrigerate.
To reheat, warm sauce in a saucepan, adding warm milk as necessary.
Luxe Cheese Sauce
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1/4 c | |
| Calories | 110 |
| Calories from Fat | 81 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 9 g | 14% |
| Saturated fat 5 g | 25% |
| Carbohydrates 4 g | 1% |
| Sugar 2 g | |
| Protein 4 g | 8% |
| Cholesterol 26 mg | 9% |
| Sodium 109 mg | 5% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Béchamel Sauce
This white sauce serves as the base for several French sauces. it is traditionally made from a roux of butter and flour with milk added. The sauce is cooked, stirring constantly to avoid scalding the milk, until thickened.
The origin of Béchamel sauce requires a small history lesson. Italians who claim the sauce originated in their country state Catherine de Medici’s chefs introduced the concept to her new French court when she married the future king of France, King Henri II (16th century). Another version of the story has Duke Philippe de Mornay invent the sauce as the base of the Mornay sauce named for his duchy (17th century). Marquis Louis de Béchamel at least seems to have given the sauce its name; he was apparently experimenting as honorary steward in King Louis XIV’s court (17th century). Most likely the court chef at the time, Chef Francois Pierre de la Varenne, created Béchamel sauce.
There are several variations to the Béchamel base. Mornay sauce, as in this recipe, calls for the addition of cheese, usually Gruyere. Add herbs instead, and you have an herb sauce. A Velouté substitutes broth for the milk. Finish with 3 tablespoons of heavy cream for a cream sauce. (Add herbs here for an herbed cream sauce!) Add 1 teaspoon of mustard spice to the floor before creating a roux for a mustard sauce. Some lasagna recipes, especially those found in the Italian section of Switzerland, call for a Béchamel sauce in addition to the cheese and meat toppings. (I had a version in Paris that featured both Béchamel and spinach!)
Other uses for Béchamel?
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