Béchamel Sauce is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic white sauce made from a white stock base with cream and arrowroot, flavoured with herbs and mushrooms. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Béchamel Sauce.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
BECHAMEL, or FRENCH WHITE SAUCE.
367. INGREDIENTS.—1 small bunch of parsley, 2 cloves, 1/2 bay-leaf, 1 small faggot of savoury herbs, salt to taste; 3 or 4 mushrooms, when obtainable; 2 pints of white stock, 1 pint of cream, 1 tablespoonful of arrowroot.
Mode.—Put the stock into a stewpan, with the parsley, cloves, bay-leaf, herbs, and mushrooms; add a seasoning of salt, but no pepper, as that would give the sauce a dusty appearance, and should be avoided. When it has boiled long enough to extract the flavour of the herbs, etc., strain it, and boil it up quickly again, until it is nearly half-reduced. Now mix the arrowroot smoothly with the cream, and let it simmer very gently for 5 minutes over a slow fire; pour to it the reduced stock, and continue to simmer slowly for 10 minutes, if the sauce be thick. If, on the contrary, it be too thin, it must be stirred over a sharp fire till it thickens. This is the foundation of many kinds of sauces, especially white sauces. Always make it thick, as you can easily thin it with cream, milk, or white stock.
Time.—Altogether, 2 hours. Average cost, 1s. per pint.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 small bunch of parsley
2 cloves
1/2 bayleaf
1 small bunch of savoury herbs (tied together)
salt, to taste
4 mushrooms
1.2l white stock
600ml cream
1 tbsp arrowroot
Method:
Combine the stock, parsley, cloves, bayleaf, herbs and mushrooms in a pan. Season with salt (but do not add pepper) then bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes (or until the flavour has been drawn from the herbs) then strain and return the liquid to the pan.
Bring back to a boil and cook until the volume has reduced by half (about 20 minutes). Whisk the arrowroot into the cream until smooth then pour the mixture into a clean pan, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
Whisk the cream mixture into the stock mixture and simmer slowly for 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick. This is a classic base sauce which can be thinned with milk to make a pouring sauce, if desired.
