Here we are. This is the first installment of our "Sauce Guide" saga. We're starting with the very basics, the one that seems simple but hides a precise technique: Béchamel .
In Auguste Escoffier's culinary hierarchy, Béchamel sauce is often cited first. Why? Because it is the perfect example of thickening with starch . It is a sauce of patience and textures.
The Story: A Marquis, a Leader, and a Controversy
Contrary to what one might think, Béchamel sauce is not named after its inventor, but after a courtier: the Marquis Louis de Béchameil. In the 17th century, this wealthy financier held the honorary position of steward to Louis XIV.
Legend has it that he perfected an existing cream-based sauce to make it more stable. Yet, the gossips of the time, jealous of his success, said: "This Béchameil is very lucky! I had sliced chicken breast in cream sauce served twenty years before he was born, and I never had the pleasure of having even the humblest sauce named after me!" Two centuries later, Escoffier put an end to the debate by codifying the recipe we use today: the combination of a white roux and milk .
The Science of Taste: Understanding White Red
To make a successful Béchamel sauce, you need to understand what a Roux is. It is a mixture of equal parts fat (butter) and binding agent (flour).
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The role of butter: It coats the starch grains of the flour, preventing them from clumping together and forming those lumps we all dread.
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The role of heat: By gently heating the flour in the butter, you "cook" the raw flour flavor. For a white roux, stop as soon as the mixture starts to foam, without letting it change color.
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Gelatinization: When you add the milk, the starch in the flour swells and absorbs the liquid until it creates a dense network: this is the bond.
The Just Cook Eat Technique: Step by Step
Proportions for a standard coating sauce:
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50g of unsalted butter
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50g of T45 or T55 flour
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500ml of whole milk (richer) or semi-skimmed milk
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Seasoning: Salt, white pepper (for aesthetics), and the indispensable nutmeg.
The foolproof method:
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The Roux: Melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour all at once. Mix with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should be sandy and light in color.
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The Thermal Shock: This is where it all happens. Pour cold milk over your roux (or vice versa: cold roux and boiling milk) to prevent lumps from forming. While not strictly necessary for a successful Béchamel sauce, it is highly recommended.
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Emulsification: Whisk. Place over medium heat and never stop stirring.
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Cooking: As soon as the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the starch to cook completely. Your sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
The Family Tree: 10 Sauces Derived from Béchamel
Once you master this basic knowledge, you hold the keys to these 10 classics:
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Mornay sauce: Add grated cheese (Gruyère or Parmesan) and an egg yolk. The perfect partner for gratins.
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Soubise sauce: Add a purée of white onions melted in butter. Perfect with white meats.
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Aurora sauce: Incorporate a little tomato paste for a pinkish color.
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Mustard Sauce: Add Dijon mustard (classic and/or wholegrain) at the end of cooking. Ideal for fish.
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Scotch Sauce: Add finely chopped hard-boiled eggs.
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Cream Sauce: Reduce the milk and replace some of it with thick cream and a squeeze of lemon.
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Cardinal Sauce: A Béchamel sauce made with lobster or langoustine butter.
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Nantua sauce: Add crayfish butter and a little cream. A classic accompaniment to quenelles from Lyon.
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Breton Sauce: Add chopped leeks, onions and mushrooms sautéed in butter.
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Bohemian Sauce: Add pureed red bell pepper and a touch of paprika.
The Chief's Council
Is your sauce lumpy? Don't panic. Simply pass it through a chinois (fine-mesh sieve) or give it a quick blitz with an immersion blender. Escoffier won't notice, and neither will your guests!
