Cheese sauce

If you want a more intensely flavoured sauce, heat 300ml of milk first with 1 onion, ½ leek or some spring onions, 2 bay leaves or some mace (or whatever flavour it is you wish to intensify) and let it infuse, lid on, off the heat for 20 minutes or so before proceeding with the sauce.

To make cheese sauce, add a pinch of English mustard powder or cayenne along with the flour and about 5