White Sauce Made Simple

Sauces were once my cooking nemesis , there aren't many of those left now ( well just the Victoria sponge cake.) but I'll deal with that another time. My sauces were once the talk of polite society in terms of that they didn't mention it. They say once you managed the basics then the world is your oyster ?..

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons of plain flour 

2 tables spoons of olive oil 

Half an onion or perhaps a couple of shallots 

500ml milk

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

Bring the milk to the boil with the onion, cloves and bay leaf , leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

Mix the 2 tablespoons of flour with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to form a paste this is called a roux.

Fish out the onion/ shallots , cloves and bay leaf.

Then gradually add the milk to it thickens to a consistency you like.

You can add further ingredients to your sauce , I added cheese. 

My friend swears by a pinch of mustard powder too.

Move over Nigella .... Maybe ?!