This is made by preparing a roux of butter and flour, and letting it cook for a few minutes while stirring, not allowing it to color in the slightest; remove it to a slower fire and leave it to continue cooking for a quarter of an hour, then dilute it gradually with half boiled milk, and half veal blond (No. 423). Stir the liquid on the fire until it boils, then mingle in with it a mirepoix of roots and onions (No. 419), fried separately in butter, some mushroom peelings and a bunch of parsley; set it on a slower fire and let cook for twenty-five minutes without ceasing to stir so .is to avoid its adhering to the bottom; it must be rather more consistent than light. Strain it through a fine sieve then through a tammy into a vessel, and allow it to cool off while continuing to stir; set it aside for further use.

(410). Chicken Bechamel (Bechamel De Volatile)

Lift the breasts from two chickens, bone the rest of them and cut the meats into three-eighth inch squares; cut up also one pound of lean veal the same size. Put half a pound of butter into a saucepan with four ounces of onions cut into three-sixteenth inch squares; fry slowly without letting them attain a color, then add the chicken and veal, and when all are well fried, throw in half a pound of flour; stir well and let the flour cook for a few minutes, then moisten with four quarts of chicken bouillon (No. 188);. season with salt, mignonette, a bunch of parsley garnished with two bay leaves and as much thyme, then let boil and simmer for one hour and a half, skim off the fat and scum carefully. Strain the bechamel through a fine sieve and then a tammy, and, to reduce it. add one quart of cream, and when the .sauce covers the spoon, pass again through the tammy into a vessel; stir from time to time until it gets cold.

(411). Lean Bechamel With Cream (Behamel Maigre A La Creme)

Put ten ounces of butter in a saucepan with half a pound of onions cut in three-sixteenth inch squares, half a pound of carrots cut in quarter inch squares and a quarter of a pound of celery root cut the same; fry the whole on a slow fire, adding a quarter of a pound of flour. Let cook for a few minutes, then moisten with two quarts of boiled milk; stir with a spatula until boiling point; add a bunch of parsley garnished with two bay leaves and as much thyme, season with salt and whole peppers, and let cook slowly for one hour, then skim off the fat and reduce the sauce by adding to it gradually one pint of cream; strain the whole into a high saucepan through a tammy (No. 159) and keep warm in a bain-marie, setting a few pats of fresh butter on top.

(412). Bechamel With Mushroom Essence (Bechamel A L'Essence De Champignons)

Put a quarter of a pound of butter into a saucepan, add to it two ounces of onions cut in three, sixteenth inch squares, a quarter of a pound of lean veal cut in three-eighth inch squares, two ounces of carrots cut in one-quarter inch squares and two ounces of unsmoked ham cut in one-quarter inch squares, also a bunch of parsley garnished with two bay leaves and as much thyme, and let these fry on a moderate fire; drain off the butter, and add four quarts of veloute (No. 41.*)), seasoning with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg, then cook the whole for one hour, afterward straining it through a tammy, and reduce it with one quart of essence of mushrooms (No. 392). Strain it again through the tammy and just when ready to use, incorporate into it half a pound of fine, fresh butter.