To Clarify Butter

Butter always contains a little milk which, when brought to a high heat, is apt to make a sauce “gritty” or slightly discoloured. I usually clarify butter before using it for the more delicate sauces by melting it in a small, thick-bottomed, enamelled saucepan over a very low heat. The butter foams; the foam falls gently to the bottom of the saucepan, leaving the clarified butter as clear as oil. Be careful when you decant this transparent liquid not to disturb any of the white sediment at the bottom. Use as directed.