Method.—Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook for a few minutes without allowing the flour to brown. Dilute with the milk, stir till it boils, then add the stock and bay-leaf, and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Remove the bay-leaf, season to taste, and strain.
Time.—25 to 35 minutes. Average Cost, 4d.
222.—WHITE SAUCE WITHOUT STOCK. (Fr.—Sauce Blanche.) (For Vegetables Meat, Poultry, etc.)
Ingredients.—1 pint of milk, 1 tablespoonful of cream (this may be omitted), 2 ozs. of butter, 1½ ozs. of flour, 1 small carrot, 1 small onion, 1 strip of celery, 1 bay-leaf, salt, 10 peppercorns.
Method.—Cut the carrot and celery into rather large pieces, put them with the milk, onion, and bay-leaf into a saucepan, and simmer gently for about ½ an hour. If the milk reduces in simmering, add more to make up the original quantity. Melt the butter in another saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook for 7 or 8 minutes without browning. Let this roux cool slightly, then add to it the milk and vegetables, and whisk briskly until it boils. Simmer for 10 minutes, strain through a tammy-cloth, or rub through a fine hair sieve, re-heat, season to taste add the cream, and use.
Time.—About 50 minutes. Average Cost, 6d.
Note.—For white sauces made with stock, see Béchamel, page 221, Velouté, page 232, and Allemande, page 219.
223.—WHITE SAUCE FOR VEGETABLES, MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH. (Economical.)
Ingredients.—½ a pint of milk, ½ a pint of either water, fish stock, or liquor in which meat or poultry has been boiled, 1½ ozs. butter, 2ozs. of flour, mace or nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Method.—Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for 5 minutes, add the milk and stock, stir until it boils, then simmer gently for 10 minutes. Season to taste, add a pinch of nutmeg, and use as required.
Time.—25 to 30 minutes. Average Cost, 3d.
Note.—Onion cooked and chopped and parsley chopped should be added to these sauces before serving. Oysters, mussels, cockles, a few minutes before serving, but the sauce must not boil after these additions.
