Saltsa Besamel Recipe
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Generous pinch of nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
- Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the flour, whisk until the mixture is smooth, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to turn golden, 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk and salt and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until thickened and creamy, 12 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg.
- Use right away, or allow to cool and refrigerate for as long as 10 days. Reheat before using, thinning the sauce with a little milk if it is too thick.
- VARIATIONS:
- Saltsa Besamel is also a great way to add flavor notes to food. The beauty of annexing the flavor to the sauce rather than to the dish itself is that the extra topnote lingers like the finish of a wine.
- For more richness: When the sauce is done and has cooled for a minute or two, stir in 2 lightly beaten egg yolks. This is the classic version for moussaka.
- For more tang: Add 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice with the milk and salt.
- For creamier tang: Make a yogurt white sauce, as an awakening finish to such dishes as moussaka and pastitsio or any lamb dish. Follow the recipe above, substituting ¾ cup milk and ¾ cup plain yogurt for the 1½ cups milk.
- For more color and mystery: Add ¼ teaspoon saffron threads while you whisk the thickening sauce.
- For more bite: Add ¼ teaspoon dry mustard or ½ teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard while you whisk the thickening sauce.
- Quick Besamel:
- Cooking white sauce in a microwave cuts the time from about 15 minutes to 5. Place the butter in a large bowl and microwave, uncovered, on high until melted and foaming, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the bowl and add the flour; whisk until smooth. Return the bowl to the microwave and continue microwaving, uncovered, on high until bubbling, to 2 minutes.
- Remove the bowl again, whisk in the milk, and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl and whisk until smooth. Return to the microwave and cook until thickened, 1 minute.
