Roux (basic white sauce)

Prepare
less than 30 mins
Cook
10 to 30 mins
Serve
½-1 pint

A roux is something every cook needs to know how to make – it's the basis of lots of sauces. Here, it's used to make a classic which sauce.

By Fanny Cradock

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Ingredients

  • 40g/1½oz flour
  • 40g/1½oz butter or other fat
  • 290ml/½ pint milk or stock for thick sauces
  • 450ml–570ml/¾ pint–1 pint

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.