Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
2 1/2     tablespoons   butter 
3 1/2     tablespoons   flour 
2         cups          hot milk 
1/2       tsp           salt 
several   grinds        white pepper

Preparation:

1. The white roux: Melt the butter in a saucepan, then blend in the flour with a wooden spoon to make a smooth somewhat loose paste. Stir over moderate heat until butter and flour foam together for 2 minutes without coloring more than a buttery yellow. Remove from heat.

2. Adding the milk: When the bubbling stops, in a few seconds, pour in all but 1/2 cup of the hot milk at once, whisking vigorously to blend thoroughly. Then whisk rather slowly over moderately high heat, reaching all over the bottom and sides of the pan, until the sauce comes to a simmer; simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon and thinning out the sauce as necessary with dribbles of milk. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon nicely. Whisk in the salt and pepper, tasting very carefully and adding more if necessary.

Veloute Sauce

This sauce is most commonly used for vegetables, fish and other white meats.

It is made exactly the same as the Bechamel sauce except that, rather than milk, use a vegetable, fish or other stock.