Chef Kevin Belton's Bechamel, Hollandaise and Chimichurri sauces

NEW ORLEANS — Sauces are the biggest difference between home cooking and eating at a restaurant. Chef Kevin Belton shows us how to create a bechamel, hollandaise and chimichurri sauces to upgrade your home cooking. 

Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• Dash freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup milk (or half-and-half)

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat.
2. Whisk the flour into the melted butter.
3. Add the salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 1 minute to minimize the taste of the flour. If your mixture is thickening slowly, continue cooking in 30-second intervals until thick and bubbly.
5. Turn up the heat slightly, then slowly add 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly.
6. Bring to a low simmer and continue cooking slowly until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients:

1. 3 egg yolks
2. 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or more as desired for flavor
3. 1 tsp. dijon
4. 1/4 tsp. salt
5. pinch of cayenne pepper
6. 1/2 cup butter or more for a thinner consistency, melted and hot

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in microwave for about 1 minute, until it's hot. Alternatively, you could heat it on the stove.
2. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, dijon, salt and cayenne pepper into a high powered blender and blend for 5 seconds until combined.
3. With the blender running on medium high, slowly stream in the hot butter into the mixture until it's emulsified.
4. Pour the hollandaise sauce into a small bowl and serve while warm.

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 3 Tbsp. fresh oregano, (optional)
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor and pulse a few times until chopped.  Slowly stream in the olive oil, while pulsing the mixture a few more times until the olive oil is combined, and stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor if needed.
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.