The Mean Green
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
- Total: 1 hr 25 min
- Prep: 25 min
- Inactive: 15 min
- Cook: 45 min
Ingredients
For the Beans:
2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces (weighed prior to trimming)
4 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large Vidalia sweet onion, 1/2 cut into large dice, 1/2 reserved
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 2 by 1/2-inch pieces
4 shittake mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch strips
4 oyster mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Roux:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups panko bread crumbs
For the roux:
For the Topping:
1/2 cup buttermilk
Reserved 1/2 Vidalia onion, thinly sliced, with a mandoline
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced with a mandoline
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
4 cups canola oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large pot of boiling water, blanch green beans. Remove to an ice bath until cool, drain and let dry. Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish.
- In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, saute bacon until lightly crispy, remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. In remaining bacon fat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, heat over medium-high heat, add onions and saute until just starting to caramelize, add in red bell peppers, saute 2 minutes, add in mushrooms and minced shallot and saute for 2 more minutes. Season with the salt, pepper and cayenne. Set aside.
For the Roux:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When butter is melted, add in flour, all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until well combined. Continue to stir for 1 minute more. Add in milk 1/2 cup at first, stirring well to combine, then add 1 cup more milk, stir to combine and bring to a simmer, then add final 1/2 cup of milk and stir and simmer until thickened.
- Add in seasonings, combine with green bean mixture and pour into prepared pan. Top with 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs, then reserved bacon, then remainder of panko lightly sprinkled on top.
- Place in oven, set timer for 35 minutes.
For the Topping:
- In a medium bowl place buttermilk, onion, and shallots. Let sit 10 minutes, drain well.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour and seasonings. When green beans have been in the oven 25 minutes, in a large frying pan, heat canola oil to 350 degrees F. While oil is heating, dredge drained onion and shallots in flour mixture. Drop carefully into the hot oil, 1/3 at a time. They will cook rapidly, 1 minute or less. Turn over if necessary. Remove and drain on paper towels. Let oil heat between batches.
- When timer goes off for green beans, take out of oven, top with onion-shallot mixture, evenly coating the casserole, place back into oven and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove and let set 5 minutes before serving.