Green Bean Casserole

Alton Brown's version made from scratch:

Best Ever Green Bean Casserole

For the topping:

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs panko bread crumbs
1 tsp kosher salt
Nonstick cooking spray

For beans and sauce:

2 Tbs plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 lb fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
2 Tbs unsalted butter
12 oz mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Author: Alton Brown
Source: GOOD EATS

Author Notes
Episode#: EA1109

Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

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cooking down the green beans a good bit more than just the quick blanch.

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Crunchy beans are a no go.

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I've made Alton's recipe, and the only thing I'd change is cooking down the green beans a good bit more than just the quick blanch.

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Same for me when I made it.

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After thanksgiving I smothered my beans down more by adding some chicken stock and it was much better. The means got more tender and the letting all the seasonings melt into the dish made it much better.

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I was just thinking I bet a homemade casserole made from smothered fresh beans and onions that got soft from cooking for a while in butter or bacon fat would be awesome.

The quick blanching and ice thing just doesn’t scream casserole to me. Even if the bake time is increased some.

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Recipe?

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It's on the back of the can.

I like that idea. With a little bit of cream cheese under the bacon, brushed with pepperjelly, smoked, and topped with fried onions.

This green bean casserole from Donald Link is fantastic. I make it every year now and it’s a huge hit.

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Donald Link’s Traditional Green Bean Casserole
Posted on January 12, 2011 by angela

This is from Donald Link’s Real Cajun, a recent addition to our cookbook collection that we are obsessing over. This is a two part recipe, but it can be assembled the day before sans fried onions. It is so good that even with a holiday table full of food there will not be one bite left. Of course the green beans are delicious all on their own if you like to keep things simple.

Green Beans with Bacon and Onion

Serves 6 to 8

4 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved, or 2 pounds fresh shell beans, shelled

4 cups chicken broth or water, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

Ground black pepper

Hot pepper vinegar, as desired

Heat the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat until lightly browned but still tender. Add the onion and saute until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute a few more minutes.

Add the green beans and enough broth or water to just cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes (35 to 45 minutes for shell beans), until the beans are very tender and have melted into the cooking liquid. Season the beans generously with salt, pepper, and hot pepper vinegar.

Traditional Green Bean Casserole

Serves 8 to 10

1 recipe Green Beans with Bacon and Onion

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons (1 1/2 stick) butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

Pinch of grated nutmeg

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups grated white or yellow cheddar cheese

FRIED ONIONS

3 cups vegetable oil

1 large onion, very thinly sliced

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Strain the cooking liquid from the beans and reserve (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). Transfer the green bean mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, season the onion slices with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Place the flour in a pie plate. When the oil is very hot (about 350 F), toss one-fourth of the onions with the flour. Add them to the hot oil (shaking off the excess flour as you go). Fry until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining onions until all are fried.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion, remaining salt, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until very soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted. Add the flour and stir until incorporated. Stir in the cream and reserved bean cooking liquid and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to fall slowly from a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the cheese, then add the green beans and toss until combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly around the edges, about 25 minutes. Top with the fried onions and bake an additional 20 minutes, until the onions become more deeply golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

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Cliffs notes version

Canned French cut green beans .. drained
Low sodium cream of mushroom soup
Velvetta cheese
French fried onions

Casserole dish
* layer of beans
* top beans with some CoM soup
* top that with 14" thick slices of velvetta
* layer on some french fried onions.
REPEAT, REPEAT

Bake at 350F until everything is hot, melted and hot in the middle