Sauce Soubise (Béchamel, Onions, Sugar, Crème Fraîche)

This 2nd generation mother sauce derives from a finished Sauce Béchamel. Soubise sauce is a classic cream sauce for vegetables made by sautéeing onions and adding them to a basic béchamel sauce. It's an excellent accompaniment for vegetables, eggs or chicken, or as a base for making casseroles. It also pairs well with roasted white meats.

Sauce Béchamel:
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
2½ cups milk, warmed but not hot
pinch nutmeg, freshly ground
¼ tsp. sea salt
⅛ tsp. white pepper, freshly ground

Sauce Soubisse:
2 cups onions, minced
1 Tbsp, confectioners' sugar
1-2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. crème fraîche

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the onions and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until soft. Add the confectioner's sugar and stir in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown - about 2 minutes.

Add the warm milk gradually, continuing to whisk as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper, lower the heat to simmer, and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes more. Remove from the heat and mash through a fine sieve. Add a chunk of butter and crème fraîche. Stir until butter is melted and serve.

Makes 2 cups.