Sauce Béchamel is one of the sauces mères of French Cuisine. This variation is used in Louisiana for seafood dishes, especially crab meat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• a quarter onion or 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 to 2 tbsp butter
• 1 to 2 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper

Procedure

• Steep the milk with a piece of onion or garlic and a bay leaf for 15 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan.
• Whisk in the flour and cook on medium to medium-high heat to make a roux.
• Gradually whisk in the milk.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until thick.
• Season.