SAVOURY SAUCES: Here is a collection of my own version of white sauces.

WHITE SAUCE VARIATION--BECHAMEL SAUCE:

 

½  each of onion & carrot, finely chopped                             

½ stalk celery, finely chopped            

4 tbsp. butter                                                   

4-5 tbsp. all purpose flour

2½-3 cups hot milk or hot chicken stock, or a combination of both                                       

2 -3 thyme leaves, or ¼ tsp dried thyme

dash white pepper and salt to taste                  

dash grated nutmeg

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter to cook onion, carrot and celery until soft and golden. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent browning. Remove from heat, gradually add in hot milk or stock or milk mixture, whisking with a wire whisk continuously to mix smoothly to prevent lump. Strain mixture into a large non-stick pan, pressing down on vegetables to extract flavour. Return pot to medium high heat, cover and bring sauce to a boil, watching carefully to prevent boiling over. If sauce is too thick, add a bit more milk or chicken stock.

Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer sauce for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning. Use sauce as needed. .

If sauce is not to be used immediately, cover the surface with a piece of buttered wax paper to prevent skin forming and let sauce cool. Sauce may be kept for up to 2 days in a refrigerator.

VARIATIONS ON BECHAMEL SAUCE:

Cheese sauce:  Add 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese to the sauce. Add pinch of dried-mustard and paprika to season sauce.

Mornay sauce:  Add 2/3 cup whipping cream to sauce and boil to reduce by one-third. Then add in ½ cup mixed grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheese and 6 tbsp. butter.

Mushroom sauce:  Add 1 cup chopped or sliced cooked mushrooms to sauce.

Parsley sauce:  Add 7 tbsp. chopped parsley to sauce.

Tomato cream sauce:  Cook together 1 lb. fresh or 1 cup canned tomatoes, 1 stalk celery, 1 sliced onion, salt and pepper to taste. Drain cooking liquid, pressing through a sieve, and add to Bechamel sauce gradually, stirring to blend in.