This casserole manages to be better than the blah original that we all know and love, without being flat out weird or yucky (cognac in green bean casserole? Yuck.). You can serve this proudly to anyone. Feel free to sub in veggie stock for chicken stock. It’s equally good.

BEANS
2 quarts water
1/4 c sea salt or kosher salt
2 pounds frozen green beans – NOT french cut

MUSHROOMS & SAUCE

8 ounces shitake or baby shitake mushroom caps
2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste
3 tablespoons (about 1.5oz or 42.5g) Better Batter flour
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste

TOPPING
1 c gf breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter
1 recipe French Fried Onions
Feel free to make them as usual, or substitute shallots for the ultimate in Grown Up
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Cook the beans.Bring the water to boil in a large pot. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, then drain beans in a colander.

Clean the mushrooms; break off and discard the stems. Mince the mushroom tops.

Melt the butter in a skillet and add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Stirring often, cook til mushrooms begin to soften and exude their liquid, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook a minute. Add the chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Add the cream, simmer til sauce thickens, about 10 – 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the cooked beans til they’re evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

In the food processor, process the bread crumbs, butter and seasonings in about 10 quick pulses. Stir in the onions — but don’t process them.

Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer bean mixture to a greased quiche pan or baking dish. Top beans with topping and bake for 15 minutes in a shallow dish or 30 minutes for a deep dish.