*Cream Gravy, (bechamel)

If I had to choose two things every home cook should know how to make it would probably be Homemade Pie Crust and a basic bechamel (white sauce). Fairly simple and fast to make and as far as I'm concerned its really the foundation of a lot of home cooking. I often refer to this in my home as the "mother gravy", I'm sure that makes classically trained chefs cringe since theres actually four mother sauces, however in my home its all about the cream gravy. Its really about the only gravy I make on a regular basis, now and then I'll make a brown sauce or theres that turkey gravy I make once a year but really when you get down to it, the gravy process is pretty much all the same. Your still making the butter and flour roux and whisking in a liquid. From gumbo, Great Mac N' Cheese, or even chowder the roux or  the gravy starts it all. Technically speaking I believe turkey gravy IS a veloute sauce, so thats number two of the classic four mother sauces. If you have to learn just one thing I guess it would be the concept of making a roux... Anyway.

In the age of convenience a lot of people resort to preservative packed canned cream soups I really think there is absolutely no need. I've bought cream of mushroom soup once or twice and really the flavor is just strange and unpleasant to me, its not quite milky, its cram packed with sodium yet barely even has any taste, you'd think it would be salty but honestly the only thing I taste is the tin it came in. A really well made cream gravy will turn any casserole into a proper meal instead of just another pot luck after thought. At what point did we decide to put down the whisk and pop open a tin? (and WHY!!!!) I mean to be honest if I HAD to, like someone were holding me hostage ... If I had to choose to put something into a made dish I would use a prepared Alfredo sauce before I would resort to that tin flavored sh-stuff. 

So heres my nod to the classic white sauce, a tip of my hat to the classic traditional sauce. Over top of biscuits, country fried steak or even toast its a real exclamation point on any meal. Lately I've been trying to knock out what I consider "pantry staples" or basics and I couldn't begin to tell you how important I think this cream gravy really is. I find myself re-typing this recipe over and over so I figure why not just let it have a little bit of its own glory. Lets just make a post just about the almighty mother gravy. (or white sauce if you insist) It is pretty important and often I think I take for granted the fact that this sauce is second nature for me. So why not share just in case theres someone who doesn't know where to start? With the late great Julia Child as my Guide heres the recipe and some pointers.

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

2-3 cups whole milk or cream

1 teaspoon salt 

* LOTS of fresh cracked black pepper

1. Heat the milk or cream: In a sauce pot bring milk and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a boil.-(I find this purely optional I usually pour my milk into the roux directly out of the jug. Heating the milk is to help insure your gravy is smooth and lump free. If my gravy looks lumpy I just whisk vigorously or add another pat of butter )

2. Make the Roux: Over low or medium heat melt the butter in a heavy bottomed skillet or pan (I almost always use cast iron). Slowly whisk flour into the melted butter. Stir/whisk together constantly for 2-3 minutes. Theres been some debate as to whether or not you NEED to do this however I've always heard it helps get rid of the raw flour taste...so I do it. 

3. Combine: Remove the skillet from heat and whisk the milk into the roux mixture. Place back onto the heat and whisk together, bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute. The mixture will be at its full thickness once its boiled. Add remaining salt and pepper to taste.

Thickness:
thin sauce- 1 tablespoon of flour per 1 cup of liquid
medium, general purpose sauce- 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour per 1 cup of liquid
thick sauce- 2 tablespoons of flour per 1 cup of liquid




To thin it out- whisk in additional liquid. 

To Thicken- blend half a tablespoon of butter into a paste with half of a tablespoon of flour and beat this mixture into the sauce. 

If your sauce is lumpy- Eat it anyway...ok no I'm just kidding. You can run the sauce through a fine sieve.

***A traditional country gravy typically has lots of fresh cracked black pepper. Sometimes the pepper is really the secret ingredient to popular restaurant gravy. (maybe a pinch of cayenne or garlic powder too)

For Veloute sauce: Turkey, Beef, Veal, or Chicken Gravy etc.
Substitute milk out for broth or stock of your choice, you can use beef stock for beef gravy, turkey or chicken stock for poultry gravy etc. For example vegetable stock would work well for a vegetable pot pie.