Delia White Sauce Food

CLASSIC WHITE BECHAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• First place the milk in a small saucepan and add the parsley stalks, bay leaf, mace (if using), peppercorns and onion. Then place it over a low heat and let it come very slowly up to simmering point, which will take approximately 5 minutes. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the milk into a jug, discarding the flavourings. All this can be done ahead of time, but when you want to make the sauce, use the same washed pan and place it over a gentle heat. Begin by melting the butter gently - don't over-heat it or let it brown, as this will affect the colour and flavour of the sauce. As soon as the butter melts, add the flour and, over a medium heat and using a small pointed wooden spoon, stir quite vigorously to make a smooth, glossy paste. Now begin adding the infused milk a little at a time - about 1 fl oz (25 ml) first of all - and stir again vigorously. Then, when this milk is incorporated, add the next amount and continue incorporating each bit of liquid before you add the next. When about half the milk is in, switch to a balloon whisk and start adding large amounts of milk, but always whisking briskly. Your reward will be a smooth, glossy, creamy sauce. Now turn the heat down to its lowest setting and let the sauce cook for 5 minutes, whisking from time to time. While that's happening, taste and season with salt and freshly milled black pepper. If you wish to keep the sauce warm, all you do is pour it into a warmed jug and cover the surface with clingfilm to stop a skin from forming, then place the jug in a pan of barely simmering water.

FATLESS WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• All you do to make this sauce is place the milk in a small saucepan, then simply add the sauce flour and, over a medium heat, bring everything gradually up to simmering point, whisking vigorously and continuously with a balloon whisk until the sauce has thickened to a smooth, rich creaminess. Then add seasoning and allow it to cook very gently for 5 minutes on the lowest possible heat.

WHITE WINE AND GARLIC MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Fry the onion, garlic and mushrooms in a little olive oil. Do not fry them long enough to change their colour.
• Add the wine and simmer for about 5 minutes until the wine has largely soaked in.
• Crumble in the stock cube.
• Add the cream.
• Reduce the heat to slowly bring to the boil and leave to simmer and thicken- this should take 5-10 minutes.
• If it does not thicken enough, add a little more chicken stock cube and simmer a bit longer.

WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over a moderate heat.
• Add flour and beat until smooth, remove from the heat.
• Add milk, a little at a time, and beat well.
• Bring to the boil and cook gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring all the time. This completes the cooking of the starch in the flour.
• Rich White Sauce: Add an extra 2 oz butter to the completed sauce after it has cooled slightly.

DEL TACO WHITE SAUCE

Steps:

• For all recipes: Combine ingredients and whisk together.
• Use on taco's as sauce, or refrigerate for 1 week.