White Italian Sauce is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic sauce of mushrooms, shallots and ham in a white stock and Bechamel base flavoured with garlic vinegar, sugar and lemon juice. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: White Italian Sauce.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
ITALIAN SAUCE (White).
454. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of white stock, No. 107; 2 tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, 1 dessertspoonful of chopped shalots, 1 slice of ham, minced very fine; 1/4 pint of Béchamel, No. 367; salt to taste, a few drops of garlic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoonful of pounded sugar, a squeeze of lemon-juice.
Mode.—Put the shalots and mushrooms into a stewpan with the stock and ham, and simmer very gently for 1/2 hour, when add the Béchamel. Let it just boil up, and then strain it through a tammy; season with the above ingredients, and serve very hot. If this sauce should not have retained a nice white colour, a little cream may be added.
Time.—1/2 hour. Average cost, for this quantity, 10d.
Sufficient for a moderate-sized dish.
Note.—To preserve the colour of the mushrooms after pickling, throw them into water to which a little lemon-juice has been added.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
300ml white stock
2 tbsp mushrooms, chopped
1 dessert spoon shallots, chopped
1 slice of ham, finely minced
150ml Béchamel sauce
salt, to taste
a few drops of garlic vinegar
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
squeeze of lemon juice
Method:
Combine the stock, mushrooms, shallots and ham in a pan. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 30 minutes then add the Béchamel sauce. Bring just to a boil then strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Season with the salt, vinegar, sugar and lemon juice, allow to heat through (if you want the sauce to be particularly white add a little cream).
