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If you’re a home cook who takes pride in creating sauces from scratch, then these 5 essential Béchamel sauce derivatives are for you. This is a must-read!
Béchamel sauce, a classic French mother sauce and the foundation of many beloved sauces is the perfect base for a range of delectable derivatives.
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And, we’re not just talking about one or two tweaks. With a few extra ingredients and adjustments, this versatile sauce can be transformed into something entirely new and exciting.
In this blog post, we’re diving into the world of Béchamel sauce derivatives, including the popular Mornay, Cheddar Cheese, and Mustard sauces. As well as the lesser-known but equally delicious Soubise and Nantua sauces.
Are you ready to embark on this saucy journey with me? You will be elevating your culinary sauce knowledge with these 5 essential Béchamel sauce derivatives.
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5 Essential Béchamel Sauce Derivatives Perfect For Drizzling And Dipping
Let’s start with the basics, Béchamel sauce is a creamy, velvety sauce made from a white roux of butter and flour. Then hot milk is whisked into the roux to finish the sauce.
Béchamel sauce is used as a base for many dishes. Including lasagna, mac and cheese, and gratins. But what if you wanted to change things up a bit? That’s where Béchamel sauce derivatives come in.
Here are our 5 favorite Béchamel sauce derivatives. These we regularly use in our kitchens as an addition to a dish or as a sauce to complete a dish.
How to season food is an art that combines creativity, intuition, and a deep understanding of flavors. That transforms ordinary ingredients into extraordinary culinary masterpieces.
1. Mornay Sauce
Mornay sauce is one of the beloved and widely popular Béchamel sauce derivatives and for good reason. This sauce is made by combining Béchamel sauce with grated Gruyere or Parmesan cheese.
Resulting in a deliciously creamy and cheesy concoction that’s perfect for topping pasta dishes, vegetables, and a variety of meats like pork, chicken, fish, and of course lobster.
This sauce is so versatile that it’s a staple in our kitchens. And we use it generously to add a touch of cheesy goodness to our favorite dishes.
Chefs Pro Tip — Here are some tips for making a delicious Mornay sauce.
- Cheese Try different cheeses. Traditionally, Mornay sauce is made using Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. However, you can also experiment with other hard cheeses like pecorino, manchago, or fontina.
- Adding Cheese Add the cheese gradually. To avoid clumping or separating. Add the cheese to the Béchamel sauce gradually and stir continuously until fully melted and incorporated.
- Adding Wine Adding reduced white wine will give the Mornay sauce a subtle sweetness. Reducing the white wine removes the alcohol and the intense wine flavor leaving the fruity sweetness.
Mornay Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Béchamel sauce.
- ½ cup of Grated Gruyere cheese.
- ¼ cup of Grated Parmesan cheese.
- ½ cup of White wine (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Gris).
- Salt and white pepper to taste.
Method
- In a saucepan, add the white wine and reduce by half (optional).
- Add the Béchamel sauce, and bring to a simmer.
- Add the grated Gruyere cheese and whisk to combine.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese and whisk to combine.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and incorporated.
- Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
2. Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Cheddar cheese sauce, also known as “Fromage sauce”. This is a creamy and decadent sauce made with grated aged cheddar cheese.
This is one of the most versatile Béchamel sauce derivatives. It can be used in a variety of dishes, from dipping sauces for fries or veggies. It also makes a great topping for baked potatoes, macaroni, and cheese, and can even be used in a fondue.
Another way to use cheese sauce is to drizzle it over steamed broccoli, or cauliflower. It also pairs well with sautéed asparagus.
Chefs Pro Tip — Here are some tips for making a delicious Cheddar cheese sauce.
- Cheese Try different cheese. Traditionally, aged cheddar cheese is used to make Cheese sauce. However, you can also experiment with other types of cheese like mozzarella, Edam, or even Gouda for added flavor.
- Adding Cheese Add the cheese gradually. To avoid clumping or separating, add the cheese to the Béchamel sauce gradually and stir continuously until fully melted and incorporated.
- Simmering To avoid a split Cheddar cheese sauce, be careful not to over-simmer it. Overcooking the sauce can cause the fat to separate, resulting in an oily texture that is less than ideal.
Cheddar Cheese Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Béchamel sauce.
- ½ cup of Grated aged cheddar cheese.
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
- Salt and white pepper to taste.
Method
- In a saucepan, add the Béchamel sauce, and bring to a simmer.
- Add the grated cheddar cheese and whisk to combine.
- Add the ground nutmeg (optional).
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and incorporated.
- Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
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3. Mustard Sauce
Mustard sauce is one of the Béchamel sauce derivatives that is suited for meat dishes. This flavorful sauce can add a tangy kick to any meat dish. It is made by adding Dijon mustard to the Béchamel base.
The result is a sauce that is creamy and rich with a distinctive mustard flavor. This is an excellent sauce to accompany corned beef, seared steaks, or glazed champagne ham.
This mustard sauce offers versatile features of being highly customizable to suit your personal taste preferences.
For instance, if you desire a creamier consistency, consider adding a dollop of crème fraîche. Similarly, if you prefer a thinner sauce, you can opt to incorporate a splash of milk or cream.
Chefs Pro Tip — Here are some tips for making a delicious Mustard sauce.
- Mustard For a subtle variation in taste, you can opt to use a different variety of mustard. Such as wholegrain, hot English, or even honey mustard. Also, you can adjust the quantities of mustard that you add to the sauce.
- Additional Ingredients To elevate the taste of your mustard sauce. You may want to consider incorporating additional ingredients. Such as reduced white wine, garlic salt, or a dash of cayenne pepper.
The addition of white wine can impart a delicate fruity sweetness. While garlic salt can provide a multi-dimensional flavor profile. Meanwhile, a hint of cayenne pepper can introduce a subtle heat to the sauce.
Mustard Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Béchamel sauce.
- ¼ cup of Dijon mustard.
- Salt and white pepper to taste.
Method
- In a saucepan, add the Béchamel sauce, and bring to a simmer.
- Add the Dijon mustard and whisk to combine.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
- Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
4. Soubise Sauce
Soubise sauce is one of the lesser-known, but equally delicious Béchamel sauce derivatives. That deserves more recognition in the culinary world. The sauce gets its name from the city of Soubise in France.
It is made by slowly cooking diced onions in butter until they are sweet, soft, and translucent. The onions are then pureed and combined with a béchamel sauce to create a smooth and flavorful sauce.
One of the great things about soubise sauce is its ability to transform simple dishes to new heights. For example, it can be used as a delicious base for a chicken casserole or fish pie. You can add a couple of tablespoons to your mashed potatoes, or even as a dipping sauce for chicken wings.
Chefs Pro Tip — Here are some tips for making a delicious Soubise sauce.
- Onions To achieve the optimal outcome, it is recommended to braise the onions over low heat until they are tender and sweet. It’s crucial to maintain low heat throughout the cooking process.
This will prevent the onions or butter from browning or scorching, which can result in a bitter taste.
- Additional Ingredients To elevate the taste of your Soubise sauce, you may want to consider incorporating additional ingredients. Such as garlic with the onions, or one of the derivatives of Tomato sauce. Even tomato puree, or smoked paprika.
The addition of garlic can provide layers of flavor. Meanwhile, tomato sauce, tomato puree, or smoked paprika can introduce subtle acidic notes and sm
Soubise Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted Butter.
- 1 cup of Onions (cut macedoine).
- 2 cups of Béchamel sauce.
- ¼ cup of Tomato puree (optional).
- Salt and white pepper to taste.
Method
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the onions. Braise on low heat until the onions are soft and translucent. About 20 minutes. Place the onions into a blender and puree to a smooth paste. Return to the saucepan.
- Add the Béchamel sauce, and whisk together with the onions. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and whisk to combine.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
- Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
5. Nantua Sauce
Nantua sauce is a French sauce that originates from the town of Nantua in eastern France. It is a creamy and rich shrimp-based sauce that is traditionally served with shellfish, particularly lobster, rock lobster (crayfish), or shrimp.
The key to a good Nantua sauce is the quality of the shrimp butter. Flavorful shrimp butter made from shrimp shells and heads will produce a richer and more flavorful sauce.
Nantua sauce can be used for more than lobster. It makes a great dipping sauce for fish goujons and battered oysters. It can even be poured over freshly steamed mussels.
Chefs Pro Tip — Here are some tips for making a delicious Nuntua sauce.
- Shrimp Butter To prepare shrimp butter. Start by placing the shrimp shells and heads into a heavy-based saucepan and slowly heating them. Using a potato masher crush the shrimp shells. Add bay leaves or sliced fresh fennel if desired.
Add the butter and melt it over low heat, leaving the saucepan on the heat for 5 minutes. Afterward, remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the shrimp shells steep in the butter for 20 minutes.
Strain the butter through a fine sieve to remove the shells and discard them. Allow the butter to solidify and then whisk it to bring it back together. Store the shrimp butter in the fridge until ready to use. It can also be frozen.
- Additional Ingredients To intensify the taste of your Nuntua sauce, you may want to consider incorporating additional ingredients. Such as fresh fennel or dill fronds.
- Adding Shrimp Butter When adding the shrimp butter to the heated Béchamel do it in stages and vigorously whisk after each addition. This will prevent the sauce from splitting or breaking.
Nantua Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Béchamel sauce.
- ½ cup of Shrimp butter.
- ½ cup of heavy cream.
- Salt and white pepper to taste.
Method
- In a saucepan, add the Béchamel sauce, and bring to a simmer.
- Whisk in the shrimp butter.
- Add the cream and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
- Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
What Are The 5 Derivatives Of Bechamel Sauce?
The 5 essential derivatives of Béchamel sauce are:
Mornay sauce.
Cheese sauce.
Mustard sauce.
Soubise sauce.
Nantua sauce.Each of these sauces has a unique flavor and is versatile enough to be used in a variety of dishes.
Mornay sauce is made with Gruyere and Parmesan cheese, while cheese sauce is a simple combination of Béchamel and your preferred type of cheese.
Mustard sauce adds a tangy kick to your dish and can be customized to your liking. Soubise sauce is made with slow cooked onions, anCan I Use Different Types Of Cheese For Mornay Sauce?
Absolutely, you can use different types of cheese for Mornay sauce. While Gruyere and Parmesan are traditional choices, you can experiment with different types of cheese.
Some great alternatives include Pecorino, Manchego, Cheddar, Fontina, Gouda, and creamy Blue cheese. You can even use some combinations, Pecorino, and Gouda or Fontina, and Manchego.
What Is The Difference Between Mornay Sauce And Cheese Sauce?
The main difference between Mornay sauce and Cheese sauce is the type of cheese used. Mornay sauce is typically made with Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. While cheese sauce is typically made with aged cheddar.
Additionally, Mornay sauce often includes additional ingredients like reduced white wine or mustard. While cheese sauce is typically a simpler recipe with just cheese added to the béchamel sauce with a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
What Is Béchamel Sauce?
Béchamel sauce is one of the 5 French mother sauces. Made from a white roux of flour and fat (usually butter). Heated milk flavored with cloves, bay leaves, and onion is then whisked into the roux. It is a versatile sauce used as a base for many Béchamel sauce derivatives.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the art of Béchamel sauce derivatives is essential for any home cook. Not only does it open up a world of flavor possibilities, but it also adds new ideas to dishes.
From the cheesy goodness of Mornay sauce to the tangy kick of Mustard sauce. These 5 essential Béchamel sauce derivatives are sure to take your culinary adventures to the next level.
So, don’t be afraid to experiment with these sauces and make them your own. By adding your favorite ingredients and flavors. With a little practice and creativity, you’ll be a Béchamel sauce-making pro.
You’ll be cooking and impressing your family and friends with your delicious and versatile Béchamel sauce derivatives.
So, take some time to familiarize yourself with these Béchamel sauce derivatives, and don’t forget to bookmark this page for future reference.
