Known as 'the saucier's best friend', beurre manié is a simple preparation of butter and flour that is the easiest way to thicken a sauce. It's an essential part of classical French cuisine. Like a roux, except uncooked, it allows you to thicken a sauce without risking incorporating lumps of flour. Make it in batches, portion into chunks and keep it in the freezer for easy access. The ideal ratio is 50/50 by weight, but you can usually get away with estimating this.
Beurre Manié Recipe
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 100 g plain flour
Method
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Ideally the butter should be room temperature to make it easier to work with. Combine the butter and flour in a bowl and mix, either with a fork or a spoon, until you have a smooth thick paste. Whisk it into whichever sauce you need to thicken, bit by bit, until the desired consistency is achieved. You should gently simmer the sauce for 5 minutes afterwards to ensure the flour is fully cooked.
