Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole

This is the green beans casserole your grandmother made before canned soup took over the holidays. Instead of a can of cream of mushroom, it starts with a real cream sauce: butter and flour cooked into a roux, then whisked smooth with milk and enriched with an egg yolk for extra richness.

Fresh mushrooms, onion, parsley, and a dusting of paprika fold into that sauce, giving it a savory depth and flecks of color you just do not get from a can. Temper the egg yolk by stirring in a little of the warm sauce first, so it enriches the sauce instead of scrambling.

Drain the green beans well so the casseroles does not turn watery, pour the sauce over, and crown it with buttered bread crumbs. Those crumbs bake into a crisp, golden lid over the creamy beans below. It is a fresher, less salty take on a Thanksgiving classic that is worth the few extra minutes at the stove.

Chef Tips

• Cook the butter and flour together for a minute before adding milk so the sauce loses its raw, pasty taste.
• Temper the egg yolk: whisk a spoonful of the hot sauce into it first, then stir it back in so it does not scramble.
• Drain the canned green beans thoroughly. Excess liquid makes the casserole watery.

Variations

• Use fresh blanched green beans in place of canned for more snap.
• Stir a handful of grated Gruyere or Parmesan into the sauce for a cheesy version.
• Top with crispy fried onions instead of, or alongside, the bread crumbs.