Master Béchamel & Its 3 Classic Variations (Sauce Soubise, Aurore, Cresson)

Steps

1. 1
   Melt butter on medium-low heat, then add flour all at once. Mix gently until smooth, then cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring occasionally to create a white or blonde roux. Turn off heat and set the pan aside to cool.
2. 2
   Pour milk into a pot and add onion pieces, bay leaf, thyme, salt, white pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Heat gently on medium heat until steaming, being careful not to boil. Remove from heat.
3. 3
   Strain a small amount of warm milk into the cooled roux and whisk vigorously to dissolve the roux completely, scraping the bottom of the pan to capture all the roux.
4. 4
   Add the remaining strained milk while whisking constantly. Place on medium heat and continue whisking as the mixture heats. Once it reaches a gentle boil, it will thicken. Continue cooking on low heat for 3 more minutes.
5. 5
   Turn off heat. The base béchamel sauce (thin version) is now complete. Adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper as needed. This is your mother sauce, ready to be transformed into derivative sauces.
6. 6
   Make Sauce Crème: Add cream (approximately 40% by volume) to the béchamel, bringing the ratio to 60% sauce and 40% cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. This is your first derivative and base for other sauces.
7. 7
   Make Sauce Aurore: Blend 2-3 tablespoons of good quality tomato sauce into 250 ml of the crème sauce base. Warm gently and simmer briefly. The result is a beautiful pink sauce perfect for pasta, eggs, or vegetables.
8. 8
   Make Sauce Soubise: Melt butter in a pan and add white onions. Cook very slowly on the lowest heat for 10-20 minutes without browning, until completely tender. Season lightly. Transfer the softened onions with their butter into the béchamel. Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Optionally strain for a finer texture.
9. 9
   Make Sauce Cresson: Blanch 1.5-2 cups of watercress leaves (tender parts only) in boiling salted water for about 20 seconds. Drain immediately and shock in cold water to preserve color and freshness. Blend the blanched watercress with 250 ml of béchamel using an immersion blender until completely smooth. Add in batches if desired to control the intensity of green color.