Prepare a blond roux: A. Melt clarified butter in a small pan. B. Add flour and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until it has a straw color. The finished roux should not have a raw flour taste. Stir the roux from time to time to be sure that the roux does not color unevenly. C. Remove roux from pan and let cool.
2
Bring the stock to a boil.
3
Add the cool roux to the stock and stir well with a whisk to be sure that all the roux is well dissolved.
4
Once the sauce returns to a boil, reduce heat to very low and simmer for 45–60 minutes. Stir periodically to be sure that the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. (A heavy bottomed pot will reduce the chance that the sauce will burn.) Skim any scum that rises to the surface during cooking.
5
Strain through a chinois. If the sauce is not being used to make a derivative sauce, add salt and white pepper to taste.
6
**Cover the surface of the sauce with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Hold above 135°F (57°C) or cool below 70°F (21°C) in two hours or less, and below 41°F (5°C) in less than a total of six hours.