Find the recipe below, and scroll down to learn some tips and tricks for green bean casserole success.
The All-New Green Bean Casserole
Make-Ahead Tip
To make this casserole ahead, assemble the dish in the baking dish up to the point where it’s ready to bake. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then bake for 30 minutes in a 350°F oven when ready to serve. The shallots should be fried just before serving.
1 1/4 lbs. green beans
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
10 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
3 large shallots, plus 3 Tbs. minced
1/3 cup plus 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 tsp. soy sauce, preferably mushroom soy sauce
Canola oil for deep-frying
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a deep 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Trim the green beans and halve crosswise. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they give off their juices and are browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the 3 Tbs. minced shallots and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the 3 Tbs. flour and stir well. Slowly stir in the half-and-half, stock and soy sauce and then bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, season with salt and pepper and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
While the casserole is baking, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a heavy saucepan and heat over high heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove. Cut the remaining 3 shallots crosswise into slices 1/8 inch thick and separate into rings. Place the remaining 1/3 cup flour in a small bowl. Toss the shallot rings in the flour to coat evenly, shaking off the excess. In batches to avoid crowding, add the shallots to the hot oil and deep-fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the paper towels to drain.
Remove the casserole from the oven, scatter the fried shallots on top and serve. Serves 6 to 8.
Variations
- Substitute 1 head broccoli (about 1 1/2 lbs.) cut into florets, for the green beans — or use a mixture of the two vegetables.
- If fried shallots are too time-consuming, sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds over the casserole before serving instead.
Lighten Up
- For a lower fat version, substitute milk (whole or 2%) for the half-and-half. This tweak will change the consistency slightly, so you may want to add a bit more flour — about another tablespoon — to ensure that the mixture thickens.
- Additionally, to make this dish vegetarian, you can substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
source:http://blog.williams-sonoma.com