Melted Butter is a traditional British recipe, based on Alexis Soyer's recipe of 1849, for the classic English butter of water thickened with a flour and butter roux that's finished with vinegar and more butter and which could be used as the base for a range of sweet and savoury sauces. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Melted Butter.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Alexis Soyer's 1849 volume The modern Housewife or Ménagère, a classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
286. MELTED BUTTER.—Put into a stewpan two ounces of butter, not too hard, also a good tablespoonful of flour, mix both well with a wooden spoon, without putting it on the fire; when forming a smooth paste, add to it a little more than half a pint of water; season with a teaspoonful of salt, not too full, the sixth part that of pepper; set it on the fire, stir round continually until on the point of boiling; take if off, add a teaspoonful of brown vinegar, then add one ounce more of fresh butter, which stir in your sauce till melted, then use where required; a little nutmeg grated may be introduced; it ought, when done, to adhere lightly to the back of the spoon, but transparent, not pasty, it may also, if required, be passed through a tammy or sieve. If wanted plainer, the last butter may be omitted.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients
60g butter
1 tbsp (heaped) plain flour
1 tsp (scant) salt
1/6 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
300ml cold water
1 tsp brown malt vinegar
30g butter
Method:
In a bowl or mortar, mix together the butter and flour until you have a smooth paste. Work in the salt and black pepper then transfer the paste to a medium-sized saucepan and add the water.
Place over gentle heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is just at the point of boiling. Take off the heat at this point and add the brown vinegar and 30g extra butter. Stir this until melted and test the consistency. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
If not sufficiently thick, return to the heat and bring back to a simmer (do not allow to boil) then take off the heat, stir vigourously and test once more. Repeat this process until the sauce is thick enough for your liking.
