Diary of a Chef · Just Chefn Around

Béchamel

Name: Béchamel
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 1 gallon (class conversion: 1 quart)
Ingredients: 1 cup clarified butter (volume, not weight); 2 cups flour (volume, not weight); 128 fl oz milk, approximately; salt and white pepper, to taste; ground nutmeg, to taste; 1 onion piquet (bay leaf studded to an onion wedge with a clove), if desired

35 minutes · 1 gallon (class conversion: 1 quart)

By Diary of a Chef · from French Classics

Ingredients

1 cup clarified butter (volume, not weight)
2 cups flour (volume, not weight)
128 fl oz milk, approximately
salt and white pepper, to taste
ground nutmeg, to taste
1 onion piquet (bay leaf studded to an onion wedge with a clove), if desired

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Instructions

1Make the roux

Combine butter and flour in a saucepan; cook over very low heat 3–4 minutes.
2Work in the milk

Add the milk a third at a time, stirring vigorously to a smooth boil between additions. Scrape the corners.
3Steep the piquet

Simmer lightly 10–15 minutes with dépouillage. Add the onion piquet and nutmeg; steep 10–15 minutes, then remove and discard the piquet.
4Finish

Adjust consistency and check seasoning. Butter the top and cover with food wrap to prevent a skin.

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