Cheesey

Yes, the next sauce is "cheesey". Not in the Walmart sort of way, but in the yummy, silky, creamy, tangy sort of way.

In the last post we talked about Roux's. Now we are taking that Roux and making a Bechamel that is the basis for the best scallop potatoes you have had.

Once you have made the Roux, set it aside for about 3 or 4 minutes till it cools just a bit. In the meantime, heat about 2 cups of milk for 5 minutes-or until warm. Add the warm milk to the warm roux. mix well.

Add a pinch of nutmeg, salt and white pepper. White pepper has a different taste than black pepper. it is not as hot-but more spicy. a nice flavor. more subtle yet more flavorful. And with white pepper you won't find little black bits in the sauce.

Continue to stir until the mixture thickens-about 8 minutes. The sauce is ready to use as is-or can be embellished. I like to add an onion half or some shallot quarters to the pot while it is sitting around waiting to be used. this will further flavor the sauce. you will remove these before using the sauce so make sure they are big enough that you can scoop them out.

In the picture above, the sauce is complete and the onion is still in the sauce-see it sticking up. It stays there flavoring the sauce until I decide to use it for something. In this case-scallop potatoes. You can also see some sliced potatoes in the pot where I have added the Bechamel. we will learn why in the next post.

To make a lovely cheese sauce, simply add your favorite cheese. I like Gruyere and Jarlsberg, but some other great tasting cheeses with the Bechamel are Manchego or Gorgonzola. let your imagination run wild.