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Thanksgiving: Quick Green Bean "Casserole"

Source of Recipe

From "Cook's Illustrated All Time Best Holiday Entertaining"


Recipe Introduction

"Green bean casserole is a holiday classic, but most recipes are fraught with overly salty canned soup and overcooked beans. To freshen up and streamline this dish, we set our sights on tender beans in a tasty sauce worthy of a prime place in our holiday spread. Rather than employing the oven and two pots—one for the beans and one for the sauce—we moved the whole production into a single skillet. Our sauce came together right around the green beans as we browned mined onion in butter, added in the beans, and amped up the flavor with fresh thyme and bay leaves. A combination of chicken broth and cream and a little flour produced a creamy, clingy, nuanced sauce. The beans steamed through right in the sauce, and finished cooking uncovered so the sauce for our not-quite casserole could thicken. Browned cremini mushrooms brought in some meaty flavor and textural contrast and as a nod to the old-school recipes that inspired this dish, we topped everything off with crunchy quick-fried shallots for a satisfying finish."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 large shallots, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
â—¦ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ Salt and pepper
â—¦ 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
â—¦ 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 onion, chopped fine
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed
â—¦ 3 sprigs fresh thyme
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ ¾ cup heavy cream
â—¦ ¾ cup chicken broth


Recipe

Toss shallots with 2 tablespoons flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, and â…› teaspoon pepper in bowl. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until smoking; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer shallots with oil to baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Wipe out skillet and return to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, mushrooms, and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are well browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate and set aside.

Wipe out skillet. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat, then add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon flour; toss in green beans, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Add cream and chicken broth, increase heat to medium-high, cover, and cook until beans are partly tender but still crisp at center, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, uncovered, until green beans are tender, about 4 minutes. Off heat, discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle evenly with shallots, and serve.

Serves 8