Basic Cheddar Cheese Sauce

Melt butter in a medium saucepan.

Add flour and salt, and cook while stirring for 30 seconds.

Remove from heat.

Pour in 1 cup of milk and mix thoroughly.

Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken.

Pour in the remaining milk and continue to cook, stirring until the sauce boils and thickens.

Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, add grated cheese and stir until smooth.

Basic Cheese Sauce is the most versatile of cheese sauces. It can be used for gratin dishes, and as a pouring sauce over fish and vegetables.

For the Thin Cheese Sauce, use 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour in place of the quantities used in our Basic Cheese Sauce. Thin Cheese Sauce is a useful base for pasta sauce and is great in lasagna.

For the Rich Cheese Sauce, add half a cup of cream to Basic Cheese Sauce. This is a more decadent version of our Basic Cheese Sauce and is delicious in special occasion dishes such as filled (or stuffed) crêpes and seafood.