What is a roux

A.� Roux is the name given to the mixture of butter and flour that forms the basis of the classic white sauce called bechamel. The butter is melted in the pan, the flour is stirred to form a smooth white paste and finally, the liquid is added, a little at a time, with continuous stirring. It is a French word, which is where bechamel originates. The roux mothod is the only way to make a suace if the liquid is hot, because hot liquid can only be combined with flour if it is first blended with fat.

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Q.� How do you avoid lumpy sauce

A.� Lumps usually occur because you haven't whisked the fat well enough. it's not a disaster, though, because sauces can be sieved. In classic white sauce and other flour-based sauces, the ky to success is lots of whisking, and the fat content. if you blend the flour with the fat carefully enough, you won't get lumps.

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If you are using cold liquid, you can simply place all the ingredeints, ie. butter, flour and liquid, in a saucepan and whisk vigourously over heat until the sauce thickens.

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There is a new method of making sauce being applauded by TV chefs using a flour called sauce flour, invented by a miller. The miller, according to cookery guru, Delia Smith, was watching her on television one day and decided to make a flour� that did not need the presence of fat. It means sauce can be low-fat, by using skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and flour without butter.

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Q.� Can you make sauce in advance

A.� It can be made ahead but you will need to cover it with clingfilm to prevent a skin from forming. Reheat it over a pan of barely simmering water.

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Q.� How to make a classic white sauce

A.� You will need:

16fl oz (425ml) milk

a few parsley stalks

1 bay leaf

A pinch of mace

10 whole black peppercorns

1 slice onion

40g butter

20g plain flour

salt and pepper

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Place the milk in a saucepan with with parsley, bay leaf, mace, peppercorns and onion. Place it over a low heat and bring to simmering point. Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the milk.

Then melt the butter gently. As soon as it melts, add the flour, and over a medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon to make a smooth paste. The add the infused milk - a bit at a time and stir again. When half the milk is in, use a balloon whisk instead and add more milk, still stirring all the time. Lower the heat to its lowest possible setting for about five minutes and whisk from time to time.

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Q.� What's the best cheese to use in a sauce

A.� More or less any type can be used. Cheddar is traditional but you can use parmesan, Lancashire, Wensleydale, Gruyere or Gorgonzola. It's a good way of using up leftover pieces of cheese and the sauce works very well with cauliflower, broccoli and seasonal veg.

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By Katharine MacColl