Emerilized (from Scratch) Green Bean Casserole
This is gonna make you think twice about green bean casseroles! When you start with fresh green beans, mix them with a homemade mushroom-béchamel sauce, gild the lily with some fontina cheese, and then top the whole thing with some crispy fried onion rings just like we make at Emeril's Restaurant in New Orleans – you won't even recognize this as an updated version of that tired old classic.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
- 1/3 cup Crystal Hot Sauce
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence
- 2 cups chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean, ends trimmed and sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Emeril's Bayou Blast (see Note)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed and blanched in salted water until tender
- ¾ pound fontina cheese, rind removed and cut into ½-inch cube
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 13- inch casserole dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter and set aside.
Heat at least 4 inches of oil in a large saucepan or deep fryer to 360°F.
Separate the onion slices into individual rings. Combine with the Crystal Hot Sauce in a mixing bowl and toss thoroughly. Place 2 cups of the flour in a large mixing bowl and, working in batches, dredge the onion rings in the flour to coat. Transfer the coated onion rings to a colander or strainer and shake over the mixing bowl containing the flour to release any loose flour from the prepared rings. Fry the onion rings in batches until just lightly golden, about 1 minute per batch. Note: it is important to allow the temperature to return to 360°F between batches. As batches are completed, transfer the onion rings to paper-lined baking dish to drain. Season the onion rings with the Essence and set aside. Repeat with the remaining batches.
Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over high heat and sauté onion and celery until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, Bayou Blast and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are soft and golden brown and have released their liquid, 4 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thick and creamy and any floury taste is gone, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl combine the green beans, mushroom sauce, and cubed fontina cheese. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and top with the fried onion rings. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and onion rings are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Note: You may substitute Emeril's Bayou Blast with the following mixture
1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper combined.
 Green Bean Casserole2.jpeg&description=Emerilized (from Scratch) Green Bean Casserole){kind=link}
Reviews