Thanksgiving Favorites: Green Bean Casserole with Herbed Breadcrumbs

Thanksgiving In Nalls’ Kitchen!

7310 Beulah Street, Franconia, VA 22315

(703) 971-4068 ~ info@nallsproduce.com

Green Bean Casserole with Herbed Breadcrumbs

No soup from a can or Franken-onions in this version!

Ingredients:

2 lbs green beans, trimmed & cut in half

3 lg shallots

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 ½ cups, coarse ground bread crumbs (panko works great or a larger ground)

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

½ tsp Kosher salt, divided

½ tsp ground black pepper, divided

2 cups reduced fat milk

2 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup flour

Pinch ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil green beans in salted water over high heat, uncovered, for 6 minutes until bright green and slightly tender.  Drain well and transfer to a 3-quart baking dish.

While green beans are boiling, dice 1.5 shallots and then thinly slice the remaining 1.5.  Set aside the sliced shallots.  In a sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add chopped shallots and cook for 4 to 7 minutes until slightly browned.  Pour in breadcrumbs, thyme, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper, stir to fully incorporate.  Cook an additional 2 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.  Set aside in a separate bowl.

Heat milk in a saucepan just enough to warm it, but not to boil it.  In the same sauté pan you used for the breadcrumbs, melt butter over medium heat.  Add sliced shallots and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown.  Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Then slowly add milk, and whisk continually to avoid any clumps.  Bring to a boil and continue stirring for about 2 minutes.  Sauce should thicken to the consistency of heavy cream.  Whisk in nutmeg, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.  Pour sauce over green beans.  Then evenly top with bread crumbs, and bake for 30 minutes until topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.