CREAMY, CHEESY, SAUCY

Chef Ayo Cherry

We’ve heard the fancy french terms béchamel and mornay thrown around, but they always seem out of reach in the kitchen. Chef Ayo Cherry breaks down a basic béchamel and then transforms it into a beautiful mornay with just a handful of ingredients. Spoiler alert: it’s not as difficult as it seems.

4mins

Ingredients

5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
4 Cups Milk
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 Sprigs Thyme

Béchamel (see above)
6 ounces Gruyere, finely grated
4 ounces Parmesan, finely grated

Instructions

In a small saucepan, gently heat your milk. In a separate medium saucepan over medium heat, melt your butter and add your flour and begin whisking them together. You want to lightly cook the flour and once it starts to stick to the side of the pan, about 1-2 minutes, that’s when you’re ready for the next step.
Slowly begin to incorporate your warmed milk into the flour and butter mixture until completely incorporated. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes.
Once thickened, it’s time to transform your béchamel into a mornay! Add your cheeses and stir until completely melted. Use this as an elevated alternative for mac n’ cheese, fondue, or whatever you want covered in delicious cheese sauce.

About the Chef

Chef Ayo Cherry

Ayo Cherry is the executive chef and owner of Served, her private chef and catering company. Her road to operating her own company began with a referral, and a great steak, leading her to becoming Lil Wayne’s personal chef. Currently, she has a rotating list of celebrity clientele. Ayo won Supermarket Stakeout on Food Network and you can catch her cooking on Buzzfeed’s Tasty.