WHITE SAUCES

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 84, Issue 3, 15 March 1952, Page 251

WHITE SAUCES

☆ THE perfect white sauce, which is smooth and creamy in texture and neither too thick nor too thin, has many uses in cooking. It may be made by one of the three methods given in this article by Nell Macpherson, Rural Sociologist, Department of Agriculture, Auckland. ☆ Roux Method 2 tablespoons of I teaspoon of salt butter or fat 1 cup of milk 2 tablespoons of Pepper to taste flour Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the flour mixed with seasonings, and stir them over gentle heat until they are well blended but not brown. Pour the milk in a little at a time and stir constantly to prevent lumps. When all the milk has been added bring the sauce to the boil and boil it for 2 minutes, still stirring constantly. To make the sauce more quickly § cup of the milk may be heated before being added to the sauce. , Cold-mix Method 2 tablespoons of fat Pepper to taste 2 tablespoons of 1 cup of milk flour i teaspoon of salt Mix the flour and seasonings to a smooth paste with a little of the milk in a saucepan. ' Add the remainder of the milk and beat the mixture with a rotary beater. Heat it to boiling point, stirring constantly to prevent lumps forming. Add the butter and boil the sauce for 2 minutes. Hot-mix Method 2 tablespoons of Pepper to taste butter 1 cup of milk 2 tablespoons of I teaspoon of salt flour This is the quickest method. Boil the butter, salt, pepper, and f cup of milk in a saucepan. Mix the flour to a smooth paste with the remainder of the milk. Pour the boiling liquid into the paste, stirring to prevent lumps. Pour the sauce back into the saucepan and boil it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Consistency White sauces may be made in five thicknesses for use in different dishes. The proportions of fat and flour given below are for 1 cup of milk: —

J Sauce Fat Flour Use Very thin .. 1 tablespoon .. J tablespoon .. Cream soups made from starchy foods ‘ „ tablespoon . . 1 tablespoon .. Cream soups made from non-starchy foods Medium .. 2 tablespoons .. 2 tablespoons .. Creamed dishes, scalloped dishes, sauces Thick .. 2 tablespoons . . 3to 4 tablespoons Souffles Very thick .. 2J tablespoons . . 4to 5 tablespoons Croquettes

As a thickening agent f tablespoon of cornflour or 1| tablespoons of wholemeal flour has the same effect as 1 tablespoon of flour. Water or stock may be used instead of milk, but a little more flour must be added.

Recipes Using White Sauces

Cream-of-pea Soup

Sieve 1 cup of cooked green peas. Heat 1 cup of very thin white sauce and add the green pea pulp and 1 teaspoon of chopped mint. Heat the soup to boiling point and serve it immediately.

Cream-of-tomato Soup

Sieve 1 cup of cooked tomatoes and heat the puree. Heat 2 cups of thin white sauce. Add the tomato puree slowly to the white sauce, stirring to prevent curdling. Serve the soup immediately, as it tends to curdle if allowed to stand.

Creamed Tongue

Mix 1 cup of chopped cooked sheep tongues, J cup of medium white sauce, and J tablespoon of cooked green peas in a saucepan and heat them to boiling point, stirring lightly to prevent burning. Serve the mixture on toast or fried bread.

Scalloped Lobster or Lobster au Gratin

4 cups of lobster cut 2 cups of medium into cubes white sauce Buttered breadcrumbs

Grease a baking dish and fill it with alternate layers of lobster and white sauce, finishing with a layer of white sauce. Sprinkle the top thickly with buttered breadcrumbs. Bake the dish at 400 degrees F. until the sauce starts to bubble and the crumbs are browned. .(Au gratin dishes are those covered with white sauce and sprinkled with breadcrumbs.)

Eggs au Fromage 6 hard-boiled eggs 1J cups of medium 3 tablespoons of white sauce grated cheese Buttered breadcrumbs Shell and slice the eggs. Arrange the eggs and white sauce in layers in a greased baking dish, sprinkling each layer of eggs with the grated cheese. Finish with a layer of sauce and cover the top with buttered breadcrumbs. Bake the dish at 400 degrees F. until the breadcrumbs are browned. (Au fromage dishes are those to which cheese is added.) Peach Souffle 2 cups of stewed 1 cup of thick white peaches sauce i cup of sugar • 4 eggs i teaspoon of salt Drain the peaches, cut them into fairly small pieces, and spread them on the bottom of a baking dish. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks with the sugar until they are thick and lemon coloured. Beat the whites and salt together until they are stiff. Pour the boiling white sauce on to the egg yolks and cool the mixture. Fold in the egg whites and spoon the mixture over the peaches in the baking dish. Do not fill the dish more than two-thirds, as the souffle expands while cooking. Set the dish in a pan of boiling water and bake the souffle for 30 to 40 minutes at 325 degrees F. Serve it as soon as possible after it is cooked or the mixture will fall. The juice from the peaches may be served with the souffle. These quantities make 6 servings. Croquettes Any mixture of vegetables, meat, or fish can be used. The usual proportions are 1 cup of very thick white sauce to 2 to 3 cups of the other ingredients. Mix them thoroughly and cool them. Shape the mixture into croquettes, roll them in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry them in deep fat.