Cheese Sauce

Cheese Sauce, Buffalo

Photo

www.weeklyveganmenu.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

2-4 T olive oil

4 T flour

1 1/2 c nondairy milk, almond, soy or rice

1/4 c tomatoes, diced

1 c nondairy cheese, Daiya or Follow Your Heart or other (cheddar syle)

1/4 c Frank’s Hot Sauce

salt and pepper

In a sauce pan, heat the oil (the amount of fat depends on you; if you use 2 T it will be more difficult to stir the roux and whisk [see below], if you use 4T you are using more fat :), add the flour and stir very well to blend. Keep stirring over medium heat until the flour begins to smell toasty, about 2 to 3 minutes. The longer you cook roux the darker it becomes. The darker it is, the more flavor it has and less thickening power. For a white sauce we do not want a lot of toasty flavor and we want the thickening power. Make a blond roux (light).

Begin to whisk the milk into the roux, constantly whisking to avoid lumps. (If you used little fat, and it is too difficult to whisk in the liquid without getting lumps, blend the mixture to get rid of the lumps and incorporate the roux and the milk. Do this before heating the milk so it is easier to blend. Hot liquid is more dangerous and I try to avoid it if I can.)

Add the tomatoes and cheese. Cook on low until the sauce thickens and the cheese melts, stirring often.

Add the Frank’s and season with salt and pepper. Add more milk if it is too thick.

Variation: Leave out the Frank’s and the tomatoes for a Regular Cheese Sauce. Add more milk if it is too thick.