Bechamel -- In Honor of Bastille Day

We should be dining of the delicious foods of France tonight, but I had a left-over steak salad from Chipotle and a slice of rare Filet Mignon waiting for me. Neither a Croque Monsieur or Croque Madam could keep me from that deliciousness. So, with nothing to show for the day, I offer:

A Bechamel Recipe

Printable Recipe

1 cup milk, scalded with a slice of onion, a bay leaf, a pinch of nutmeg, a couple of cloves, salt & pepper
Set aside so the flavors can mingle for 10-15 minutes
Make a roux of 1 1/2 Tablespoons of flour and 1 1/2 Tablespoons melted butter (heat until foaming)

When milk mixture is slightly cool, strain in the milk mixture and simmer, whisking for about 5 minutes.
For a thinner sauce, use 1 Tablespoon each flour and butter.

Use it in Macaroni & Cheese or any one of hundreds of uses for White Sauce. Or add parmesan and and a little tomato flesh for a nice pasta sauce.

And a bonus: my favorite Pate Sucre recipe (sweet tart dough - print it!).

And Viva la France!