Topic: no-fat white sauce recipe anyone? I need HELP!

[Hyacinth]

I've a friend arriving tomozz for a few days and (currently ::)) she tells me she's on a low-fat diet.......

SO...

..as I was given 3 rather splendid cauliflowers today (swapsies for chillies/garlic/bag of swiss chard 8)) I'd decided that tomorrow evening I'd cook some turkey breast steaks + white wine with ....ta-da! cauliflower + potatoes in white sauce with chard adding the green/rainbow colours on the side....

BUT....

How the heck do you make a white 'fat-free' sauce? I Googled and got a recipe, the active ingredients of which are 1/2 pint of seasoned virtually fat-free milk (got) + 'a desertspoonful' of cornflower to whisk in.....

I tried it tonight. Gotta Hurty Wrist whisking this lot to get it to thicken - which it never did. :(

I'm taking my Hurty Wrist (in a high sling ;D) off to bed in a mo, but if anyone can give me a better recipe before I surface tomorrow, I'd be everso grateful. And, btw.....assuming this sauce actually thickens and coats the cauliflower, am I going to be able to put it in the oven to brown, you reckon?

Tell you what....I'm thinking a week at the pub and telling her to sort her dietary requirements out with the barstaff might be the way to go.....liquid diet, anyone? ;D

[manicscousers]

can't think of a low fat recipe, Hyacinth, sorry you've wore your wrist out, hope it's better tomorrow, my fave is FULL FAT cheese sauce with cauliflower  ;D

[grannyjanny]

I do it the other way round. Add the milk to the cornflour, but only a small amount then gradually add the rest. Then either heat it up in the microwave or on the hob, if on the hob keep stirring.

[Digeroo]

I like cauliflower with parsley sauce.  I use cornflour.  I mix with a little cold milk and then pour in rest of milk hot and return to pan and stir, then add parley.

[grawrc]

If you do a roux based sauce(the fat and flour ones) it will continue to thicken but cornflour and milk sauce thickens up to a point but will thin again if cooked too long. As others have said, slake (good word that) the cornflour with cold milk then thin with more. The heating process will make it thicken. I'm not sure that putting it in the oven would be a good idea.

[Jeanbean]

Hi Hyacinth
I make my no fat white sauce using Carrs Sauce Flour. I buy this at Tesco's so I imagine that most of the big supermarkets stock it. It is with the various types of flour. Tt whisks in really easy with the milk and only needs slowly bringing to the boil and simmering for 3 minutes. You can add any flavouring you want. I find it very versatile. I hope this is of use.

[Ishard]

OR a low fat cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of wholegrain or english mustard (plus herbs if wanted) and fat free milk to loosen the mixture.
Simply add all to saucepen, stir and warm through.

This way its easy, low fat, no flour, very quick and more tasty.

[PurpleHeather]

The cornflour will thicken if you use enough of it.

Mix half the quantity of cornflour to that of wheat flour

I find two teaspoons full to half a pint works for me

get the milk to boiling point and simply stir in corn flour mixed with cold milk until the sauce is as thick as you want it.

The thing with cornflour if you are letting the sauce get cold is that it will separate if it is not "cooked out" so try and cook it , stirring continually for 5 minutes.

If you want a quick thickener, instant mash works too they use it in cuppa soups, it also lightens the colour of a sauce.

Don't worry if you get lumps in the sauce, it can always go through the sieve.

[Hyacinth]

Thank you everyone for the replies.

(Still got a hurty wrist :'()

Jb, that was a nice tip on where to buy 'Sauce Flour', which I've never had use for before & didn't know exists :-\ - good old plain flour + proppa butta's always done it for me, but happened to have some cornflour in my cupboard cos I use it when I make shortbread.

And thanks PH for the tip that leaving the sauce to get cold will cause it to separate out.

So, tonight, with input from you all,  I'll get it right! 8)

And hopefully tomorrow she'll have forgotten her diet fad...

and my Hurty Wrist won't be hurty no more  :) ;D

[rosebud]

 Good luck Lish, low fat indeed where`s the taste, full fat cheese is the way to go with cauli ;D ;D ;D

[Rosyred]

I know i'm a bit late but for future reference buy Carrs sauce flour as that doesn't use fat - just milk and flour.

[Hyacinth]

I'm glad you came in, Rosyred....that's two recommendation for Carrs; seems a useful addition to the store cupboard, so I'll look for it when I'm out and about - haven't a Tesco nearby, but spect Sainsbugs will have it.

Cheers!

[realfood]

I always use sauce flour without fat and it makes good white sauce. Sainsbury's has it in the larger stores.

[Hyacinth]

Thanks Realfood, I'll try Sainsbugs within the next couple of days. My nearest store is the Co-op and they didn't. I'd not come across Carrs before but saw they make all the bread flours...