Magic White Sauce (and Variations)

Sick of lumpy sauce? Hate making that flour and butter roux? Here's the answer! This is the easiest version of White Sauce ever. You won’t believe it works until you try it! You will need a wire balloon whisk for this recipe and you must make sure that all ingredients are cold (or at least at room temperature) to begin with. Thanks to English food writer, Delia Smith, for discovering this all-in-one method. The following are my simplified adaptations for Basic White Sauce, along with variations for Mustard Sauce, Cheese Sauce (Mornay Sauce) and Parsley Sauce.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 2  cups milk (low fat or non-fat milk works fine)
• 100  g butter or 100  g margarine, chopped into small pieces
• 1⁄2 cup plain flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Directions

1. Pour milk into a saucepan.
2. Add all other ingredients.
3. Place pan over a medium heat, and, using a wire balloon whisk, whisk sauce constantly until butter melts.
4. Be sure to work the whisk into the edges of the pan to incorporate all the flour.
5. Whisk frequently until the mixture comes to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
7. Taste and add extra seasoning if required.
8. Variations: Mustard Sauce Make sauce as per recipe, but use 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup chicken stock.
9. Along with the salt, add 2 teaspoons mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder and substitute a good pinch of cayenne pepper for the black pepper.
10. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice when sauce is completed.
11. Cheese Sauce Make sauce as per recipe, but use 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream.
12. Along with the salt, add a good pinch of nutmeg and substitute a good pinch of cayenne pepper for black pepper.
13. At the simmering stage stir in 75g- 100g grated tasty cheese (I like a mixture of mature cheddar and parmesan).
14. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice when sauce is completed.
15. Parsley Sauce Make sauce as per recipe, but use 1 ¾ cups milk and ¼ cup cream.
16. When sauce is finished, mix in 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.