Coat broccoli with this sauce and top with cheese (see right) for a tasty vegetable dish. I also use it for my poached eggs florentine, to make macaroni cheese, and in my chicken & mushroom crêpes.
30g (2 tbsp) butter
30g (3½ tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
500ml (2 cups) milk
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 egg yolks
50ml (3½ tbsp) double cream
100g (3½oz) Gruyère, Emmenthal or Cheddar, finely grated
First make a béchamel. Melt the butter in a small, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat, then add the flour, stir with a whisk, and cook gently for 2 – 3 minutes to make a white roux. Pour the cold milk on to the roux, as you whisk, and bring to the boil over a medium heat, whisking continuously. When the sauce comes to the boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
Mix the egg yolks and cream together in a bowl, then pour the mixture into the béchamel, whisking as you do so. Let the sauce bubble for about 1 minute, whisking continuously, then take the pan off the heat and shower in the grated cheese. Stir until melted, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.