Green Bean Casserole

Beans
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound fresh green beans, ends snapped, snapped into bite-size pieces

Bring the water to boil in a large pot. While it comes to a boil, prep the beans. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender and still bright green. Drain beans in a colander, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain a bit in the colander again. Place a double layer of paper towels on a baking sheet, arrange beans in single layer to dry, top with a double layer of towels.

Mushrooms and Sauce
8 ounces crimini mushrooms
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon dry sherry
3/4 cup half & half or heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Clean the mushrooms; break off and discard the stems. Break the mushroom tops into pieces. (Breaking the tops is important to the texture for slicing them with a knife makes the mushrooms more like the ones in canned soup.) Melt the butter in a skillet til shimmery. Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Stirring often, cook until mushrooms begin to soften and exude their liquid, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook a minute. Add the stock, sherry and bring to a simmer. Add the half & half, simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 - 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the cooked beans til they're evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

Topping
1 slice whole grain bread
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 a 2.8 ounce can of French fried onions
1/8 teaspoon table salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, process the bread, butter and seasonings in about 10 quick pulses. Stir in the onions -- but don't process.

Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer hot bean mixture to a greased baking dish. Top beans with topping and bake for 15 minutes.


recipe comes from: http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2006/11/worlds-best-green-bean-casserole.html