Better Green Bean Casserole (Recipe)

You won’t find a can of soup here. Try this from-scratch green bean casserole, and you won’t go back to the Campbell’s variety.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound green beans, trimmed
• 1 Cup whole milk
• 1/2 Cup vegetable broth
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Small yellow onion, sliced
• 1/4 Pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• 1 Teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
• 2 Cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 Tablespoons dry sherry
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 Medium Shallots, sliced into thin rounds
• 1/3 Cup olive oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and blanch for about 3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain green beans and set aside.

3. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk and broth. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat until it becomes foamy. Stir in onion, mushroom and garlic, sprinkle with thyme, and sauté until onions and mushrooms have softened, 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in 2 tablespoons flour. Slowly whisk in warmed milk-broth mixture until smooth. Stir in sherry, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the liquid has thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in green beans, coating well with the sauce. Transfer to casserole dish. Bake until the casserole is hot and bubbling, about 20-30 minutes.

4. While the casserole is baking, prepare shallots. Toss shallots with 2 tablespoons of flour in a bowl. Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Saute for 6-8 minutes, until the shallots are golden brown. Place cooked shallots on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Sprinkle a little salt over the shallots. Top casserole with fried shallots. Serve warm.