Not Your Mother’s Green Bean Casserole

 

green bean casserole

Our garden gives us green beans. We blanch and freeze them. Then, come Thanksgiving, we’ve got what we need for that holiday staple, Green Bean Casserole. But it seems a shame to slather our garden bounty with a can of condensed mushroom soup. So here’s what I make instead. It’s so flavorful, you’ll be sorry you haven’t been eating it since your very first Thanksgiving!

Makes 12 side-dish servings

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen green beans
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 shallots or 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
  • 1 pound portabello or shiitake mushrooms, rinsed and coarsely chopped
  • 4 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth (use homemade if you’ve got it)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 oz. crispy onions (such as French’s) for topping, if desired

Instructions

  1. If using fresh green beans, cut off ends and cut in half. Then add them to a large pot of salted, boiling water. Blanch until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain beans immediately and plunge into ice water. Pat dry and set aside.
  2. Over medium heat, melt butter in a large, cast-iron Dutch oven. Add shallots or onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add paprika, cayenne, ground pepper and salt. Stir until well-mixed.
  3. Stir in mushrooms. Cook uncovered for 5 about minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are soft.
  4. Gradually stir flour into the mixture. Then add chicken stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until all stock has been added and mixture is smooth. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook for 5-8 more minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
  5. Stir in sour cream, lemon juice and beans. Cook on low heat until everything is heated through, about 8 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 glass or ceramic dish. Top with crispy onions if you wish. Bake casserole for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven. Serve hot.