Cream Sauce for Fish is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic cream sauce thickened with a flour roux that's flavoured with mace, cayenne pepper and lemon juice and which is typically served with fish. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Cream Sauce for Fish.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
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
CREAM SAUCE FOR FISH OR WHITE DISHES.
397. INGREDIENTS.—1/3 pint of cream, 2 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of flour, salt and cayenne to taste; when liked, a small quantity of pounded mace or lemon-juice.
Mode.—Put the butter in a very clean saucepan, dredge in the flour, and keep shaking round till the butter is melted. Add the seasoning and cream, and stir the whole till it boils; let it just simmer for 5 minutes, when add either pounded mace or lemon-juice to taste, to give it a flavour.
Time.—5 minutes to simmer. Average cost for this quantity, 7d.
This sauce may be flavoured with very finely-shredded shalot.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
200ml cream
60g butter
1 tsp plain flour
salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
1/8 tsp ground mace or 1 tbsp lemon juice to flavour (optional)
Method:
Melt the butter in a clean pan, scatter the flour over the top and stir to combine then whisk in the cream until smooth and season to taste.
Bring gently to a boil then reduce to a low simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Add the flavourings and serve immediately.
For a stronger flavour add one very finely diced shallot along with the butter.
