Cooking & Baking
Related: About this forumSoupless Green Bean Casserole
You know, I love green beans. I love mushrooms, too. And those fried onions in a can are pretty tasty. So why won't I eat the traditional green bean casserole? Answer: the Grey Glop. All that Grey Glop. People tell me it's food, but my lying eyes say otherwise...."It smells like food, but it looks like....well, you know. Yuk!".
So this past Thanksgiving, I invented a soupless recipe:
Pre-heat oven to 350* F.
1/2 pkg frozen French-cut green beans (1/2 lb. total used, about 2 cups)
8 oz pkg fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup fried onions in a can, divided
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Thaw green beans and drain any excess moisture. Wash mushrooms, remove lower part of stem and slice length-wise, 4 slices per 'shroom. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat and add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms until tender and butter sauce thickens somewhat. Combine beans, mushrooms with sauce, 1/4 cup fried onions and almonds in a casserole dish. Stir well and top with remaining 1/4 cup fried onions. Sprinkle soy sauce over the top and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Makes about 4 servings. This is the finished casserole, and it was muy delicioso!
Enjoy!
Warpy
(111,286 posts)of butter and flour cooked together, add water, then add mushrooms sauteed until they give up their liquid, seasoned with a little nutmeg, making sure the fond (the brown bits in the skillet) have been added to the sauce. Simmer it for a bit and you've got a brownish glop that tastes of butter and mushrooms instead of condensed soup that tastes of salt.
Once you try this, you'll never use another can of condensed soup.
Trailrider1951
(3,414 posts)I agree that the white sauce is a better choice than the cream of mushroom soup, but I was trying for a more dry version. Maybe I should re-name it "Glopless Green Bean Casserole" LOL.
Also, I just thought of something. My recipe is vegetarian, as it is. To make this recipe vegan, omit butter and substitute 1/4 cup olive oil. To make a bacon lover's version, omit butter and add 1/4 cup bacon grease, and some crumbly bacon pieces.
Warpy
(111,286 posts)in the green beans, so it's not nearly as gluey a consistency as the cream of mushroom soup is. In addition, the flavor really is superior.
DonnaM
(65 posts)I made mine using unsweetened almond milk and almond meal to thicken. Also sliced shallots thinly and baked with a bit of olive oil on them until crispy. Oh, and bacon - had to add diced cooked bacon in with the green beans and mushrooms. Am going to definitely add in the almonds next time as that sounds like a delicious addition. I could eat just this casserole for Thanksgiving and be perfectly happy.
BarbaRosa
(2,684 posts)Made the sauce, fresh green beans, real mushrooms, although I did use the canned fried onions. Most everyone thought it was good, but in the long run they pretty much pined for the Grey Glop.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)I blanch 12 oz of fresh green beans in boiling water for 30 seconds or less, then drop them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain and set aside. In a heated cast iron skillet I saute 8 oz of button mushrooms cut into quarters and 2 red green peppers sliced into strips in 2 tbs of vegetable oil. When the mushrooms first start to give up their moisture, I add 2 tbs of A/P flour, season with salt & pepper, and saute until brown. Throw in the green beans, 1 cup of chicken broth, 1 cup of half-n-half, top with a handful of break crumbs and cover loosely with French's fried onions. Put the pan in a 375F oven for 20 minutes and serve.