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White Roux

Erken's white roux: equal parts butter and flour are stirred over low heat for 10–15 minutes without taking on color, cooled a little and thinned with liquid. The basis for pale sauces.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 332 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

From the section "Thickenings for sauces" in the sauce chapter, where Erken goes through the basic thickening methods. White roux is the starting point for the pale sauces, such as white sauce and béchamel.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Melt the butter

    Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat.

  2. 2

    Stir in the flour

    Stir in the flour and let the mixture be stirred over low heat for 10–15 minutes, without it taking on any color at all.

  3. 3

    Cool

    Let the roux cool a little before the liquid is added.

  4. 4

    Thin out

    Thin with cold liquid – then it can all be added at once – or thin cooled roux with hot liquid. If you are inexperienced, thin a little at a time while stirring constantly. Never pour hot liquid into hot roux; it gives a poorer flavor.

Changes from the original

Amounts are made concrete (the original only says "the same weight of butter and flour"), and the text is divided into numbered steps in modern Norwegian. The content is otherwise unchanged.

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Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised
Modernised → 1949 (proofread, p. 367)~88% of the text changedremovedadded
50 g smør (like Til hvit roux benyttes samme vekt smør og mel). 50 g hvetemel. Smelt smøret i en tykkbunnet kjele over svak varme.. Rør inn melet og la blandingen mel, som røres over svak varme i 10–15 10—15 minutter, men uten at den får farge i å brunes det hele tatt.. La rouxen kjøle seg litt ringeste. Avkjøles noget før væsken tilsettes.. Spe med kald man tilsetter væsken. Et viktig punkt i tilberedning av sauser er væskens temperatur når den spedes i rouxen. En fin smak kan ikke opnåes, hvis man sper het væske – da i het roux. En kold væske kan spes i alt tilsettes på én gang – eller spe avkjølt roux med en gang, eller, hvis rouxen avkjøles, kan varm væske. Er du uøvd, væske spes i. En uøvet bør spe væsken i litt og efter litt og under stadig omrøring. Hell aldri varm væske omrøren; en øvet kan godt spe alt i varm roux; det gir dårligere smak. på en gang.

Note on Modernised

Mengder er konkretisert (originalen sier bare «samme vegt smør og mel»), og teksten er delt i nummererte trinn på moderne norsk. Innholdet er ellers uendret.

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Frequently asked questions

How much butter and flour should I use for white roux?
Equal parts by weight – the same weight of butter and flour. For 4 servings, use an equal amount of both.
How long should the roux cook?
Stir butter and flour over low heat for 10–15 minutes. It should not brown in the least – hence the name white roux.
Why is the temperature of the liquid so important?
According to Schønberg Erken, you cannot achieve a fine flavor if hot liquid is added to hot roux. Use either cold liquid in the hot roux (it can all be added at once), or cool the roux a little and thin with hot liquid.
How should an inexperienced cook thin out the roux?
Add the liquid a little at a time while stirring constantly, so you avoid lumps. The experienced can add it all at once.

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