Yield: Serves 6 to 8 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes
The green bean casserole is the ultimate company-ready side dish. This version is particularly appealing because of the sautéed mushrooms and crunchy French fried onion topping.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for boiling the green beans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, sliced
6 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (6-ounce) can crispy fried onions
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and a generous amount of salt and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the beans and immediately immerse in the ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.
3. In a large, deep skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots, stirring occasionally, until the shallots begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir to combine. Then add the half-and-half and simmer until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in all of the green beans. Transfer the green bean mixture to the baking dish. Top with the fried onions.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbling. Serve immediately.