Cheese sauce recipes and questions

theamazinggem

am i the only one who when i reeeeeally can't be bothered just chuck in a bit of milk and cheese for cheese sauce (perhaps some philly if it's a case of finishing the tub)?

competitionscafe

Olliebeak wrote: »

I wish more farmers would start selling their own veg that the supermarkets won't give them a fair price for. Surely a couple of enterprising guys can get their heads together, decide what to grow and get themselves a van and a fruit&veg round - lots of people would appreciate it.
.

I guess the organic box schemes are similar to this - I love my weekly box (yes, very sad I know to get excited about a box of fruit and veg, I must be getting old!) But you never know what you will get and I love surprises - today I got a beautiful fat aubergine, an alien (kohlrabi) and a huge, crisp winter cabbage, plus carrots, onions, garlic, a ginormous parsnip, and the fruit. My neighbour (different company) got 2 cauliflowers, celery, carrots, can't remember what else, but this week I think mine looked nicer and I got cauli last week Much nicer (and fresher) than supermarket veg - the last 2 butternut squashes I bought (one at Tesco one at Sburys) both went rotten (and sort of exploded!) within a few days of purchase and well before the use by date, half of my lychees from Waitrose were also mouldy when I went to eat them last night, only bought them on Sunday as a treat and the use-by is tommorrow.

Mummy_Cookie

I am fairly new at this but am trying to use up some of the stocks we have in the cupboard etc. rather than going to the shops. I am thinking of making a salmon pasta bake and using a white sauce with a bit of cheese in it. I understand how to make a cheese sauce but don't know what quantities of flour, butter, milk and cheese to use to make enough sauce.

I'm using 250g Penne Pasta and 200g Salmon (tinned). I also have some bread past its best so am going to make some breadcrumbs to go on top.

If anyone can offer their advice on the sauce I would be really grateful. Thanks in advance.

hilstep2000

This is the one on BBC food:
40g/1½oz flour
40g/1½oz butter or other fat
290ml/½ pint milk or stock for thick sauces
450ml/¾pint for medium and 570ml/1 pintfor thin

Method
1. Dissolve the butter in a pan and add the flour.
2. Stir until the mixture forms a smooth paste which leaves the sides and base of pan cleanly.
3. Cook for a minimum of 2 minutes to cook out the taste of the flour.
4. Pour in approximately one-fifth of the quantity of your chosen fluid and allow to boil without stirring.
5. Stir until the mixture blends smoothly, beat vigorously and add the remaining quantity of fluid as described, beating well after each addition.

Then just add the cheese. I couldn't give you mine, because I never measure anything:rotfl: I just do it till it "looks right". Probably beacuse I've been making sauce for years:rotfl:
Anyway, hope this helps!

Mummy_Cookie

That's brilliant - thank you. It sounds dreadful but I haven't made a white sauce in years as I normally just buy it in a jar!!! After reading through lots of the os tips and advice I am determined to change my ways. I did a menu planner the other day and realised that I had enough in the house to do 3/4 weeks worth of meals with only have to pop to the shop for some potatoes. If I hadn't of done the menu planner I would have gone and done a big food shop next week thinking we didn't have anything in!

Anyway, thanks again for the help with the sauce.

Nix143

Being a lazy moo I always makes Delias all in one white sauce, tastes fabulous and a bit less messing than a proper bechamel

15fl oz COLD milk (otherwise u get lumps)
1oz PLAIN flour
1.5 oz butter

Whang all together in a saucepan, gently bring to a simmer whisking as you go, cook out on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes and ta daaaa! Super quick easy sauceness. Season according to what its being served with and Bobs your Uncle

skintscotslass

I'm with Nix on the sauce. Again, I dont weigh out cheese, but I'd start with maybe 1oz and then increase by taste. HTH,

Stephen_Leak

Mummy_Cookie wrote: »

It sounds dreadful but I haven't made a white sauce in years as I normally just buy it in a jar!!!

If I, a mere man, can make a white sauce ...

WHITE SAUCE

Makes 250ml

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
250ml of milk

METHOD

Put the butter into a saucepan on a medium heat. Melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring all the time. Take off the heat. Add the milk a bit at a time. Stir each time to make sure it is smooth. When all the milk has been added, put the pan back on the heat. Bring to the boil. Keep stirring. Turn down the heat until it is just boiling (simmering). Cook for 2 minutes, stirring all the time.

ADDITIONS AND ALTERATIONS

If the sauce is too thin, add a little bit more flour. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit more milk.

TIPS

The trick is too keep stirring.

PS. I've just double checked the recipe for cheese sauce and, for 250ml of sauce, this only specifies 1 tablespoon of both the butter and flour. This makes sense, as the cheese also adds solids. The quantity of cheese specified is (after scaling it down) 37.5g of mature Cheddar.

squeaky

Nix143 wrote: »

Being a lazy moo I always makes Delias all in one white sauce, tastes fabulous and a bit less messing than a proper bechamel

15fl oz COLD milk (otherwise u get lumps)
1oz PLAIN flour
1.5 oz butter

Whang all together in a saucepan, gently bring to a simmer whisking as you go, cook out on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes and ta daaaa! Super quick easy sauceness. Season according to what its being served with and Bobs your Uncle

I'm even lazier - and more lump free

I bung some of the milk and butter into my liquidiser, give it a whirl until the butter is mixed well in, then add the rest of the milk. Add grated (or small chopped) cheese and whizz. Drop in the flour and whizz. Job done

Works brilliantly for lump free batters too.

windowshopper100

Here's pure heresey I know, but it is possible to make a fat free version, should you feel the need, in the microwave.

Add flour to milk in a big jug and whisk until flour totally disperses. Nuke for a couple of mins, whisk like a nutter, nuke, whisk ..... until desired thickness is reached.

I wouldn't use this one if you require a tasty white sauce as a stand alone sauce for a dinner party, but it's fine when integrated into lasagne, say.

Making a cheese sauce with a bit of mustard means you can't tell there's no butter - I know you're thinking what's the point of missing out butter if you're going to dump a shed load of cheese in it. True, but it does save a few extra calories, and blue/strong cheese means you don't need to use as much. Well that's the theory anyway...:o