Your Email:

Your Name:

To:

Subject:

Message:
White sauce has nowt to do with magic We used to ooh and aah when our friends whipped up satin smooth white sauce in front of our very eyes. Then we realised that the reason they could do so had nothing to do with magic; it’s just easy. If you, like us, had it drilled into you during food tech that the formation of lump-free béchamel is a ‘skill’ one must work hard to acquire, then chuck your trepidation in the bin, along with your sludgy ready meals. The basic recipe (Serves 5-6) 300g (11oz) macaroni = 42p 75g (3oz) butter = 29p 75g (3oz) plain flour = 4p 900ml (1.5pints) milk = 60p 225g (8oz) grated cheddar = £1.50 1-2tsp Dijon mustard = 4p Salt and pepper Cook the macaroni, and preheat the grill Melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir to form a roux Add the milk bit by bit, along with the mustard, and whisk vigorously after each addition. Cook for 10-15 minutes until you have a thick, smooth sauce Turn the heat right down, add around three quarters of the cheese and stir until combined Season with salt and pepper Add the macaroni to the sauce and mix well. Pour in to an ovenproof dish Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and place under the grill Cook until bubbling The sums: TOTAL: £3.25 OR 65p per portion Compared to: Sainsbury’s Macaroni Cheese 400g, £1.99 Findus Macaroni Cheese 360g, 99p Waitrose Macaroni Cheese 400g, £2.08 Tips If you heat the milk before adding it gradually to the roux, you won’t fail. Use an onion studded with cloves to flavour the warm milk – it’s the flavouring which turns it from a ‘white sauce’ into a much lovelier sounding ‘béchamel’. Getting cocky The mustard is a must(ard). But to cut further through the supreme cheesiness, try adding finely chopped onions or leeks , or handfuls of lardons to the white sauce. For prettiness, arrange sliced tomatoes or crispy bacon rashers across the top. If you’ve got leftover cheeses in the fridge, you can play mix and match with gruyere, parmesan and cheddar. - http://www.thriftygobbler.com/18/

Please enter the word you see in the image below: