Bechamel Sauce · Kitchen passport

Bogdan Ion

20d (edited) • Weekly recipes

Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients:

Whole Milk 500 ml Must be whole milk for richness.
Unsalted Butter approx. 50 g For the Roux
All-Purpose Flour approx. 50 g For the Roux
Onion 1 half
Bay Leaf 1 piece
Whole Cloves 2-3
Salt 1 Pinch
White Pepper 1 Pinch
Nutmeg Pinch Freshly grated is best.

Method

Step 1: The Infusion (The Secret Step)

Take your half onion and place the bay leaf against the flat side.
Use the cloves like "nails" to pin the bay leaf into the onion. This is your Oignon Piqué.
Place the milk and the studded onion into a saucepan.
Gently bring the milk to a simmer (just before it starts to boil).
Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it sit for 10–15 minutes. This lets the onion and spices infuse like tea.
Remove the onion and discard it. Your milk is now seasoned.

Step 2: The Roux

In a separate clean saucepan, melt the 50g of butter over medium-low heat.
Add the 50 g of flour and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes. You want to cook out the "raw" flour taste, but don't let it turn brown. It should stay a pale golden color.

Step 3: Combine

Gradually pour the infused milk into the roux, a little bit at a time.
Whisk vigorously after each addition to ensure there are no lumps.
Once all the milk is in, keep whisking until the sauce comes to a gentle simmer and thickens into a velvety consistency.
Add your salt, pepper, and a final grating of nutmeg.

Why do it this way?

By pinning the bay leaf and cloves to the onion, you create a "flavor bomb" that is incredibly easy to remove. It saves you from fishing out individual cloves or straining the sauce through a sieve at the end.

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