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creamy chicken with spinach and sundried tomato
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Mother/Daughter Sauces: Bechamel and Mornay

Bechamel is the mother sauce to Mornay, Nantua and Cardinal
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Foundation Recipes, Sauces
Cuisine French
Servings 1 quart

Ingredients
  

For the Bechamel

  • 2 oz clarified butter or ghee
  • 2 oz bread flour
  • 1 qt milk
  • 1 bay leaf small
  • 1/2 small yellow onion peeled
  • 1 whole clove
  • Salt, white pepper and nutmeg, to taste

For the Mornay

  • 4 oz Gruyere cheese grated
  • 2 oz Parmiggiano cheese grated
  • 2 oz butter'
  • hot milk or broth to thin

Instructions
 

Bechamel Sauce

  • Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and make a white roux. Cool the roux slightly. Gradually add the milk to the roux, beating constantly (to avoid lumps).
  • Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer.
  • Stick the bay leaf to the onion with your whole clove. Add the onion to the sauce and simmer at least 15 minutes. Better for 30 minutes. Stir very gently occasionally while simmering. Adjust the consistency with more hot milk, if necessary. Season very lightly with salt, nutmeg and white pepper. Spice flavors should not dominate.
  • Strain the sauce through a chinois or fine strainer lined with cheesecloth. Cover or spread melted butter over surface to keep skin from forming. Keep hot in a bain marie or cool i n a cold-water bath for later use.

Mornay Sauce

  • While the Bechamel sauce is on simmer, add in the cheeses and stir until just melted. Take off the heat and stir in the butter. Thin out with a little warm milk or broth, as necessary. (Be sure your broth suits the final dish you are serving (chicken for chicken, fish for fish, vegetable for vegetables.)
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