Green Bean Casserole (without the canned soup)
I ALMOST gave into the store bought Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup from a can. The nostalgia was ALMOST enough. My mom always used to never buy the canned stuff since it “tasted like the can.” I finally understood what she meant when i went through a stint in college buying every canned soup that looked good, and realized it tasted NOTHING like the picture on the label. Even so, some recipes you just want that old flavor, regardless of the stuff inside it.
Then i read the label.
First, there were no organic alternatives available (every other kind of soup in that aisle has an organic version, except Cream of Mushroom, the week of THANKSGIVING… meaning people MUST have tried to make it, and failed. There was nothing worth trying to sell that could make the campbell’s version without all the preservatives).
Wheat, soy, BPA lined canns… all the things this pregnant momma is not allowing in her belly.
I did, however, go for the boxed fried onions. I’ll work on that sub next.
INGREDIENTS
serves 6
1 recipe Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (see below)
2 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
homemade seasoned salt and pepper (see notes)
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 lb cut green beans, drained
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups sliced shallots (~4 large shallots)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Get out a medium-sized baking dish then set aside. Place a couple paper towels on a large plate then set aside.
Heat butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat then add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms until they release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms are golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper then add garlic and continue to saute until garlic is very fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Scrape mushrooms into baking dish then set skillet aside to cool slightly. Once slightly cooled, carefully wipe out with a wet paper towel or dish cloth - we want to remove any little bits of garlic that may remain in the skillet.
To the mushrooms in the baking dish add the prepared Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup, green beans, and a bit more seasoned salt, then mix with a spatula to combine. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Meanwhile, add extra virgin olive oil to wiped out skillet then heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add half the shallots then fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so. I like to gently shake the skillet every now and again to make sure the shallots are frying evenly. Remove shallots to paper towel-lined plate to drain then sprinkle with salt. Fry/drain/salt remaining shallots.
Top casserole with fried shallots then bake for an additional 5 minutes. Let casserole cool for 10 minutes then scoop onto plates and serve.
For the Cream of Mushroom Soup:
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
4oz mushrooms, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
2-1/2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour
3/4 cup gluten-free chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup milk (any kind - I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Heat extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat then add mushrooms and shallots. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and the mushrooms become tender, 5-7 minutes. Scrape mushroom and shallot mixture into a bowl then set aside.
Lower the heat to medium then melt butter in saucepan. Sprinkle in flour then whisk to combine and cook while whisking for 1 minute. Slowly add splashes of chicken or vegetable broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce then add milk and seasonings. Turn heat up to medium-high and bring soup to a bubble while stirring constantly then turn heat back down to medium and simmer while stirring until soup is fairly thick, 3-4 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat then stir in cooked mushrooms and set aside to cool slightly. Can be done several days ahead of time.
