White Sauce

Directions

1. 1
   Melt in a heavy-bottomed pot: 3 tablespoons butter.
2. 2
   Stir in: 3 tablespoons flour.
3. 3
   Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
4. 4
   Add, bit by bit, whisking constantly: 2 cups milk.
5. 5
   To avoid lumps, completely whisk in each addition of milk before adding the next.
6. 6
   If, despite this, the sauce is lumpy, strain it through a sieve after all the milk has been added, and return to the burner to cook.
7. 7
   Bring slowly to a boil, stirring all the time.
8. 8
   Turn down to a bare simmer (use a flame tamer if necessary) and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking.
9. 9
   Season with: Salt, A pinch of nutmeg (optional), A pinch of cayenne (optional).
10. 10
    Use right away or keep warm.
11. 11
    (The sauce will solidify when cool.)
12. 12
    To make a thicker sauce for a souffle, use more flour and less milk: 4 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons flour, and 1 1/2 cups milk.
13. 13
    When making a vegetable gratin, replace up to 1 cup of the milk with vegetable cooking water (either the water the vegetables were cooked in or the water squeezed from cooked greens).