Bechamel or White Sauce

Being able to make a good sauce from scratch is most frightening for most people and it is so easy to grab a ready make sauce of the shelves of the Supermarket .

The truth is that the basic sauces, which are the base of endless varieties of sauces for countless recipes are easy and simple to make, as long as pays attention while doing them.

Nearly every sauce is based either on the brown Roux (Sauce) or the white Roux.

The other important factor in making a good sauce is the stock you use. Very few of us have neither the time nor the inclination to have a stock pot on the stove. There are very good commercial stock cubes, or stock granules, or even "stock pot" liquid stock available.  You have a great choice and you should use the ones you like best. I have always used the Knorr stock range. I tried other brands but my taste buds prefer the Knorr ones. But as the French say "Chacun à son goût ". So you use what you like best .

Ingredients

2 Tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil, either sunflower or rapeseed, 

2 Tbsp of white flour ( unbleached, if you have it)

Approx 1/4 l water ( you can substitute half of this with milk our white wine depending on what you want to use the sauce for)

1 cube of chicken stock, or vegetable, or fish stoke, depending on what your dish is

Method

Put butter/oil in a heavy pain, heat slowly to melt the butter.

Add the flour , stirring continuously, the flour will bubble up, this is important as it means the flour is cooking.

Immediately add the liquid is a steady stream, stirring continuously

Add enough liquid to have a smooth creamy consistency.

Should you end up with lumps. Don't despair. 
Remove pan from heat and pour sauce through a sieve into another pan. You end up with a smooth sauce.

Add your seasoning

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Once the Roux is cooked you can  add cheese and or cream. For fish use white wine

Note: The sauce with added cheese can be used for making a delicious Lasagne