Probably one of the most basic sauces, this is incredibly satisfying to make and delicious to. The way a rather dodgy-looking rue of flour and melted butter can magically transform with the simple addition of milk into a smooth, thick, gorgeous sauce never ceases to amaze me. I find that, when this is being used in a lasagne or the like, you don't actually need to use any cheese at all; the flavours of nutmeg, mustard powder and black pepper are plenty sufficient to provide interest, without the expensive addition of cheese.
Ingredients:
Method:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan
2. Stir in the flour
3. Pour the milk over and, with a whisk, stir it together
4. Leave the milk to heat through for a bit, while you grate the nutmeg in and add the salt, pepper (lots!) and mustard powder
5. Mix until it is a thick paste. For a cheese sauce, add about 100g grated cheese into it