béchamel
nounUK /ˌbeɪʃəˈmel/
US /ˌbeɪʃəˈmel/
A smooth white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk.
She poured béchamel over the pasta before baking it.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A mother sauce in French cuisine used as a base for many other sauces.
Chefs learn to make béchamel before mastering cheese or mustard sauces.
3. The thick creamy layer in dishes like moussaka or croque monsieur.
The moussaka tasted rich thanks to its béchamel topping.
4. Named after Louis de Béchameil, a steward to King Louis XIV.
Legend says béchamel was named in honor of a royal steward.