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).
The role of butter
It coats the starch grains in the flour, preventing them from clumping together and forming those lumps we all dread.
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 take on any color.
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:
1. The Redhead
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.
2. Thermal Shock
This is where it all happens. Pour the 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.
3. Emulsion
Whisk. Place over medium heat and never stop stirring.
4. Cooking
As soon as the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat. Let it 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!
