How To Make Velouté Sauce

Step 1: Prepare the sauce

Step 2: Make the roux

Add the flour to melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon over a low heat for 2-3 minutes to create a blond roux.

Step 3: Stir in the stock

Remove the pan from the heat. Gradually add the hot stock beating constantly to blend it with the roux.

Bring to a boil, stirring all the time. If you stop stirring or leave the sauce on the heat unattended, it will stick and burn.

Step 4: Simmer

Lower the heat and simmer until the sauce reaches the desired thickness, about 10-15 minutes.

Step 5: Strain the sauce

Strain the sauce through the sieve into a bowl.

To stop a skin forming on the sauce, cover with cling film or buttered greaseproof paper, or rub the surface with a knob of butter.

Once the basic sauce is made other flavourings can be added for example,

Tomato Blush: Cook 2-3 tbsp of tomato purée with the roux; add finely chopped tomatoes at the end.

Sauce for fish: Add 3 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley to the sauce before serving.

Citrus sauce: Add 200ml freshly squeezed orange juice after the stock has been added to the roux.