The sauce of 1001 nights
If you’re just tuning in now, I recommend you check out the previous post about homemade pasta. In part because I think it’s something everyone should try, and also because I’m a bit shameless and am seeking validation.
So, you have a small mountain of fresh pasta on hand. Now what? As I mentioned in the pasta post, you could content yourself with a slathering of butter over the steaming, eggy noodles and just devour them in front of the tv (recommended show pairings include Coronation Street, Knight Rider or Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns. Jersey Shore is NOT an option. You want to enjoy your meal, not die of indigestion)
A key sauce everyone should have in their repertoire, I believe, is a basic béchamel, as it can be the jump-off point into so many other variants that it would be near impossible to tire of it. And remember: this is coming from me, who has the attention span of a gnat crossbred with a Jack Russell terrier. Oh look, a butterfly!
Sauce Béchamel
· 2 Tbsp butter
· 3 Tbsp flour
· 2 cups milk
· ¼ tsp salt
· additional salt and pepper to season
In a small saucepan heat the milk and salt until boiling. While waiting for this to come to the boil move on to the next step.
Put the butter in a large saucepan and place over low heat. When the butter has melted, add the flour. There isn’t much “WOW” factor to this stage of the game, as you want it to cook slowly, while stirring gently. The butter and flour will start to foam. Keep it at this stage for about two minutes (still stirring. No one told you to stop)
Have a whisk on hand. Remove the flour & butter (roux) mixture from the heat, and when it has stopped frothing, pour in the milk and whisk to blend thoroughly.
Place back on the heat and bring to a boil while stirring. After about a minute at the boil you can again remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
So that’s your base. The very foundation, upon which, you shall build your shrine to saucy deliciousness. From this you can add pretty much anything you like.
For example:
· Cheese (up to ½ cup grated), such as a sharp cheddar, Swiss, parmesan, or any combination thereof
· Chopped herbs. One of my favourites includes a couple cloves of minced garlic and a handful of chopped parsley. Paired with prawns and scallops… *drooooool*
· Green onion
· Dry white wine
· Stock
· Additional butter or cream
· Pinch nutmeg
Seriously, play with it. It’s completely flexible. If you’re adding more liquid, such as wine or stock, you may need to simmer it over a medium-low heat to thicken it. No intergalactic rules will be broken. Although, I would generally advise you start out with adding about ½ cup liquid, and possibly building up to a full cup. Don’t turn it into soup. Unless you want soup. In which case, why the hell are you following a sauce recipe?
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