Green Bean Casserole
You might think I’m a little bizarre, but for me, Thanksgiving is all about the green bean casserole. Sure, turkey’s good too, but green bean casserole is where it’s at. I’m not really sure what it is — I don’t even LOVE green beans all that much. This Thanksgiving I made a trip across several states to visit Adam’s family in Michigan. They don’t generally have green bean casserole at Thanksgiving, but that wasn’t going to fly with me. So, I made it myself (don’t worry, I shared). I decided to stray from the canned cream of mushroom and frozen/canned green bean version. This one was SO MUCH BETTER. I will never open a can of condensed soup again. Make it from scratch, it’s worth it. I’ll probably make it again before Thanksgiving 2011 rolls around.
Fresh Green Bean Casserole
For the Topping:
- 4 slices white bread, each slices torn into quarters
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups canned fried onions (about 6 ounces)
For the Beans and Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed, and halved
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound white button mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean and broken into ½-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups heavy cream
1. For the Topping: Pulse bread, butter, salt and pepper in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.
2. For the Beans and Sauce: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons salt and beans. Cook beans until bright green and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans in colander and plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking. Spread beans on paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
3. Add butter to now-empty pot and melt over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add mushrooms, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook until mushrooms release moisture and liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Add cream, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced to 3½ cups, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add green beans to sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in an even layer in 3-quart (or 9×13-inch) baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
