From-scratch Green Bean Casserole

[phatj]

From-scratch Green Bean Casserole

Serves 12 as Side.

The American holiday standard green bean casserole sounds good in theory -- green beans and fried onions baked with a mushroom sauce -- but is usually pretty nasty in execution, as it typically involves canned beans, canned french-fried onions and canned condensed mushroom soup.

I set out to try to make a good version, from scratch. It turned out very tasty. It is, however, a lot of work.

• 4 c homemade cream of mushroom soup
  
• 2 large onions, sliced into thin rings
  
• 1 c buttermilk
  
• 1 c flour
  
• 1/2 tsp table salt
  
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  
• 4 c vegetable oil
  
• 2 lb fresh green beans, ends removed, broken into 1-in pieces
  

STEP ONE (make cream of mushroom soup [my mushroom soup recipe] -- can be done well in advance)

STEP TWO (fried onions -- should be done as soon as possible before casserole will be cooked)

1. Heat oil in large, deep saucepan or skillet until shimmering.

2. Separate sliced onion into rings and put in a bowl with the buttermilk. Toss in a mesh strainer to get most of the buttermilk off.

3. Mix flour, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper. Sprinkle some over the onions and toss again.

4. Add remaining flour to a paper sack or ziploc bag. Put onion rings in bag, close and shake well. Dump into strainer over trash and toss to sift out excess flour.

5. Add onions to hot oil in batches. Stir occasionally to separate and cook until crisp and golden brown.

6. Remove onions from oil with slotted spoon or skimmer and set on paper towels.

STEP THREE (pre-cooking green beans -- can be done while frying onions)

1. Steam green beans ~5 minutes or until bright green.

2. Shock beans in a bowl of ice water (to preserve color) and set aside.

STEP FOUR (assembling and baking casserole)

1. Reheat mushroom soup and preheat oven to 350.

2. Put the beans and 1/2 of the onions in a casserole dish.

3. Add mushroom soup to cover and stir.

4. Cover dish and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling.

5. Remove lid and top with remaining onions. Return to oven for five more minutes, then serve.

NOTES:

1. If using the mushroom soup recipe I linked above, I'd cut it with extra milk and/or cream. The mushroom flavor is a little too much for this casserole, and the color is a little too brown.

Keywords: Vegetarian, Side, Beans, Vegetables

( RG1890 )