Green Bean Casserole

A must-have side on Thanksgiving dinner! For a simpler recipe, replace the homemade mushroom sauce with 3 cups of canned mushroomed soup and prepare the topping with canned onion rings instead of caremalized onions.

Toppings:

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 medium onion (sliced to rings)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and black pepper

Beans and sauce:

• 2 pounds green beans (ends trimmed; halved)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb mushroom (white button; stems trimmed;wiped clean; broken into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 3 cloves garlic (pressed)
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 1.5 cup low-sodium chickne broth
• süt 1.5 cup milk
• salt and black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion rings, salt, and pepper and caramelize the onions on low heat — about 20 minutes. Mix bread crumbs and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to large bowl and toss with onions; set aside.
   
2. Heat oven to 425°F. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pan. 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 olive oil to a sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook until mushrooms release moisture and liquid evaporates. 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 like creamy mushroom soup, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add green beans to mushroom sauce and stir until evenly coated. Arrange in even layer in 3-quart (or 13 by 9-inch) baking dish. Sprinkle with onion topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tags: casserole, mushroom, green beans