Desperate parents have been hiding nutritious vegetables under a cloak of Mornay for decades, and it is the backbone of a good Macaroni and Cheese. It can be spread over everything from cauliflower to lobster, then browned in the oven or under a broiler.
Source: Joy of Cooking (2019), p. 548
Ingredients
- Béchamel
- 1/4 to 1 cup firmly packed finely grated cheese (1 to 4 ounces)
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of cayenne pepper or hot paprika
- Pinch of grated or ground nutmeg or mace
- (A few drops of dry white wine or lemon juice)
Directions
- Prepare: Béchamel sauce.
- When it is smooth and hot, reduce the heat to low and stir in: cheese.
- Cook, stirring, just until the cheese is melted, or the cheese may turn stringy.
- Season with: salt, cayenne pepper or hot paprika, and nutmeg or mace.
- Should the sauce become stringy, bring it just to a simmer and whisk in: (a few drops of white wine or lemon juice).
- Then remove from the heat.
Recipe Notes
- Using equal parts Gruyère and Parmesan is traditional, but practically any aged cheese, alone or in combination, can be very good.
- Try Swiss or Cheddar, or mix milder cheeses with sharper pungent ones like Gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton.
- For a richer, cheesier sauce for broccoli or baked potatoes, use the larger amount of cheese listed.
- This sauce is perfect for macaroni and cheese, vegetable gratins, or drizzled over seafood.
- For an elegant presentation, spread over prepared dishes and brown quickly under the broiler.