This is the best white sauce recipe I've ever found. This recipe helped me figure out how to make gravy from scratch, plus it has tons of variations. Don't be afraid to experiment. The recipe makes one cup, so if you need more multiply the recipe. I haven't tried all the variations listed, but I included them in case you'd like to give them a try.
Thin White Sauce: (Like for vegetables and soup)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 to 1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup milk
Medium White Sauce: (for creamed and scalloped food like scalloped potatoes or creamed tuna on toast; I use this one for gravy except substitute the juice from the meet for the milk, adding water to bring it up to the 1 cup measurement.)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup milk
Thick White Sauce: (for batter like for croquettes and souffles)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of milk
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.
Variations:
Cheese Sauce: (For vegetables and rice, macaroni and egg dishes). Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard and 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese. Heav eover low heat, stirring constantly until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Cucumber Sauce: (For salmon and other fish)
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup of shredded or thinly sliced cucumber and a dash of cayenne red pepper; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Curry Sauce: (For chicken, lamb, shrimp, and rice)
Follow recipe for Medium White Sauce except stir in 1/2 teaspoon curry powder with the flour.
Dill Sauce: (For bland meat or fish)
Follow recipe for Medium White Sauce except stir in 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dill weed and a dash of nutmeg with the flour.
Egg Sauce: (For salmon and other fish):
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 2 hard-cooked eggs, very finely chopped.
Horseradish Sauce: (For beef, lamb, and ham)
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1/3 cup horseradish and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard; heat through. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
Rich Cheese Sauce: (For vegetables and rice, macaroni and egg dishes)
Prepare Medium White Sauce. Stir in 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon dry mustanrd, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 1/2 teaspoons cooking sherry. HEat over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
Thank you, Betty Crocker.
