Green bean casserole is a staple of Thanksgiving tables. Casserole in the USA doesn't quite mean the same as it does in the UK. In England, it generally refers to a bit of meat slow-cooked in liquid, more akin to a stew. In the US it translates as any dish cooked in a casserole dish in the oven, often with a crispy, crunchy or cheesy topping.

INGREDIENTS

425ml milk
1 small onion, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 black peppercorns
600g green beans, trimmed and strung
300g chestnut cap mushrooms, sliced
40g unsalted butter
25g plain flour
1 egg yolk
Juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
200g sour cream
2 tbsp. French’s^® Classic Yellow Mustard
2 (79g) packets French’s^® Crispy Onions

Preparation Method

• PREHEAT the oven to 180° C.
• BRING the milk to a boil with the halved onion, bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns, turn off the heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes to infuse the flavours, strain into a jug whilst still warm and reserve.
• BLANCH the green beans in boiling salted water until barely cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes. Place in a buttered casserole dish.
• SAUTÉ mushrooms until golden brown in olive oil and set aside.
• ADD butter to a saucepan over low heat to melt. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon to make a smooth paste, a roux, and continue to stir and cook this over a low/medium heat for 5 minutes. Slowly stir in the milk in stages and continue to stir briskly until the sauce is smooth. Bring up to a simmer, stirring all the while and cook until the sauce is thickened and has lost its floury taste, about 8-10 minutes. Be careful it doesn't burn and stick. Remove from heat and beat in the egg yolk. Taste and season with lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking.
• WHISK the sour cream and mustard through the white sauce. Add in the mushrooms and 1 packet of French’s^® Crispy Onions and stir.
• POUR the sauce over the green beans, bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until starting to bubble to a golden brown. Remove from the oven and cover with the remaining French’s^® Crispy Onions. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the whole dish is bubbling and piping hot
• SERVE WARM