creamy green bean casserole salad

i guess you can tell we love green beans. i love the tender, melt in your mouth green beans cooked all day with smoked turkey meat and potatoes, but i also love them crunchy, like my garlic butter green bean recipe. i had a taste for green beans casserole but i wanted them crispy and quick. traditional green beans casseroles are made with 'soft' canned green beans and take at least 30 minutes in the oven. i also wanted something festive for christmas, with red and green (yeah, i know, kinda corny). maybe even lighten it up a bit. as i was testing my recipe, i found myself snacking on it way too much. even when i was taking pictures of it, i would grab a green bean and toss it in my mouth. if you see less and less green beans in my pics, that was me. my bad. needless to say, this recipe is a keeper. i don't know... this one may be a permanent replacement to the traditional green beans casserole. but, don't quote me on that. 🙂
ingredients:
- 2 lbs fresh green beans - trimmed
- 1 red bell pepper - seeded, sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon butter -
- 1 lb mushrooms - wiped with a cloth, sliced
- 3/4 cup chicken stock - or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon sour cream -
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard -
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar -
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch -
- 1/2 cup french fried onions -
instructions:
- bring a pot of water to a boil. salt the water and add the green beans. allow to cook for about 5 minutes. immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water, shocking the beans and leaving them with their beautiful green color. allow the beans to cool completely. drain the beans well. transfer the the beans into a large bowl. add the red bell pepper to the bowl as well. set aside.
- heat a large skillet over medium high heat until hot. add in the butter and mushrooms. add, salt/pepper to taste. saute the mushrooms until browned. remove mushrooms from the pan and to the bowl with the green beans. if any liquid has accumulated in the pan with the mushrooms, discard.
- place the pan back on the stove.
- meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the chicken stock, sour cream, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and cornstarch in a small bowl. salt/pepper to taste (i used 1/2 teaspoon of salt). pour the ingredients into the hot pan and bring to a boil. reduce the heat, whisking until thickened, about 3 minutes. pour the sauce over the green beans mixture. toss well. taste, season with salt/pepper to taste (if needed). transfer to a serving bowl and top with french fried onions.
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