After an interesting Thanksgiving about ten years ago, I have tried to avoid any form of green bean casserole. Then I met my husband, and his dad LOVES it. So last year, when I was making Thanksgiving dinner at our place in SB, I wanted to find a fresh version of the classic dish. I found this one in Martha's FOOD magazine. It includes fresh green beans, a homemade mushroom sauce, and freshly fried shallots.
The ingredients for this recipe can be prepared the day before so that on Thanksgiving you just have to assemble and bake. I'll add my photo after I bake it tomorrow.
Ingredients:
3 cups vegetable oil
6 large shallots, cut into very thin rounds, rings separated
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 lbs green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 lb button mushrooms, trimmed and coarsely chopped
14.5 oz low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, unless you are simply prepping the ingredients.
Shallots
1. Heat oil over medium in a large skillet. Line a baking sheet or large plate with paper towels, for draining.
2. In a large bowl, toss together shallots and 1 1/4 cups flour until shallots are evenly coated.
3. In batches, shake off excess flour from shallots and fry until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.
4. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper towels and season with salt.
5. Set aside and allow to cool. You can store these in an airtight container with a layer of paper towels underneath for up to 2 days.
Green Beans
1. Boil water in a large pot.
2. Salt the water and cook green beans for 6 minutes. They should be "crisp tender," not overly cooked.
3. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Pat dry. If making ahead of time, store in a large resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Mushroom Sauce
1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add 1/4 cup flour and cook, stirring, until incorporated, about 1 minute.
4. Whisking constantly, gradually add broth, then milk. Bring to a simmer.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
To store, refrigerate with plastic wrap on surface, up to 2 days. Reheat before using.
Casserole
1. Make sure that the oven is preheated to 425 degrees.
2. Add green beans to mushroom sauce (reheated if made the day before) and toss to coat.
3. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13 inch baking dish.
4. Bake until bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve topped with fried shallots.
Enjoy!
