Cheese Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel is a classic sauce, often a base for many culinary creations. Here, I have listed the simplest addition to Bechamel, cheese. So tonight for dinner, why don't you wow your family with fancy mac n' cheese?

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients

• 1  onion, wedge (about 1/8 of the onion)
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  whole clove
• 2  ounces  clarified butter
• 2  ounces flour
• 32  ounces milk
• 1  dash nutmeg
•  salt
•  white pepper
• 8  ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Note: to clarify butter: simmer whole butter (I like to do a pound at a time, and refrigerate the unused portion for later recipes). As it simmers, foam will rise to the top. Take a shallow spoon, and skim the foam out of the pot (this is the impurities rising out of the butter. Once all of the foam is gone, remove from heat and let settle for a couple of minutes. Remove any more impurities you see form. Strain through a cheese cloth into container.
2. Make an onion pique by placing the bay leaf onto the onion wedge, and stabbing it through with the clove.
3. Take melted clarified butter, and whisk in flour until thoroughly mixed, cook until it simmers.
4. Add milk and onion piquet.
5. Bring sauce to a simmer, add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook until thickened.
6. Stir in cheese.
7. Strain through cheese cloth to remove onion piquet and lumps.
8. This goes great on top of any type of pasta, also good on vegetables.