Ingredients
- 1 small onion, halved
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 40 g butter
- 40 g plain flour
- 600 ml of milk
- Pinch grated nutmeg
Method
- Place the milk, onion, peppercorns, and bay leaf into a large saucepan and heat to just under boiling point.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve and discard the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Using the same saucepan, melt the butter, and then add the flour all in one go. Stir continuously and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and pour in a quarter of the milk and mix with a wooden spoon until a smooth. Gradually add the remainder of the milk and stir with a metal whisk.
- Place the saucepan back on the heat and bring the liquid to the boil, whisking continuously. As the sauce starts to boil and thicken, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Season with the salt and pepper and add the nutmeg to finish.
Top tips
Tip
Serve over vegetables, such as cauliflower or broccoli, or with fish or salted beef.
Tip 2
To make cheese sauce (mornay) for cauliflower cheese, make the sauce as above, and add 50g grated cheddar cheese and 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder. Stir over a low heat until smooth. Season to taste. To make parsley sauce, add 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley to the finished basic sauce and stir to combine. You can use other fresh herbs like chives or tarragon, or try a combination of your favourites.
