Linny's Kitchen: Béchamel Sauce: A kitchen basic.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Béchamel Sauce: A kitchen basic.

Pink-Apron.com

The frenchness of the name béchamel has a tendency to scare of the average kitchen avenger but, in all truth it is as easy and quick to make as any can of condensed soup is to make. Once you learn how to make a béchamel sauce you will never pick up a can of campbell's cream of anything soup ever again. I promise.

A béchamel sauce is extremely versatile you can add some cheese to it and layer it into your lasagna or have over some of Venda Ravioli's Beef Tortellini (YUM!) It is the base to all all good au gratins and casserole dishes with out the sodium and preservatives. Mix up the flavor by adding fresh or dried herbs and spices after the milk/ liquid has been added before you return it to the heat.

The Little GSP: Baked Tortellini with Peas and Ham

Add grated cheese, french mustard and Worcestershire for a Mornay Sauce, which is delicious with chicken and/ or pasta.

Recipe for a Basic Béchamel Sauce:

2 tbs of Unsalted Butter
2 tbs of Flour
1 cup of Whole Milk
Salt & Pepper
Pinch of Nutmeg*

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat melt the butter and blend in the flour. Combine the flour and butter until you smell a slightly nutty scent coming from the flour (about 2 minutes.)
Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the milk in stirring constantly. Blend until smooth.
Return the pan to the burner at medium heat and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened and smooth.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I like to add a pinch of nutmeg as it adds a little flavor kick to the sauce.

For a thin béchamel sauce: use 1 tablespoon of each butter and flour per 1 cup of milk

For a medium béchamel sauce: use 2 tablespoons of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk

For a thick béchamel sauce: use 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk

To make the sauce lighter: substitute stock or white wine for all of the milk or a portion of it. If you want to make the sauce ahead of time it can be portioned out and frozen.

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Linny's Tip - Cooking and Storing Potatoes

Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. The ideal storage temperature is 45 to 50ºF. At these temperatures, potatoes will keep for several
weeks. But don't store potatoes in the refrigerator! When kept below 40ºF, potatoes develop a sweet taste, due to the conversion of starch to sugar. This increased sugar causes potatoes to darken when cooked. If you store potatoes at room temperature, try to use them within a week or so.

Keep potatoes away from prolonged exposure to light, which causes them to turn green. This greening causes a bitter flavor. If potatoes develop green areas or start to sprout, just trim off these areas before using.

Always add potatoes to cold water to boil. This ensures that potatoes will cook evenly throughout.

Linny's Tip: Tomatoes

Did you know tomatoes are second in consumption to potatoes!

However, there is one important thing everyone should know about tomatoes and that is how to store them. Tomatoes do not like the cold at all. In fact when you keep them in the refrigerator they will become mealy and loose their robust flavor.

Instead store them in a cool dark place with their stem side down for ripe tomatoes. For those tomatoes that a not quite ripe leave them on a sunny window sill and soon they will turn bright red and juicy ready to honor any salad or BLT!