CSA Recipe Series: Green Bean & Broccoli Casserole (adapted version of Alton Brown Recipe)

Start off the fall with a veggie-filled comfort food: Green bean & broccoli casserole! Week after week, our veggie share from Maya Papaya CSA, has provided us with delicious green beans and amazing broccoli, so we decided to put them to good use in a creamy, tasty casserole.

Recipe: Green Bean & Broccoli Casserole (adapted from Alton Brown Recipe)

Ingredients

For the topping:

• 1 large white onion
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• Nonstick cooking spray

For beans & broccoli

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice the onions thinly and soak in heavy whipping cream for 20 minutes. Remove onions from cream (saving cream for later) dip in the flour, shake off excess flour, then dip the onions in the egg. After coated, dip the onions in the panko bread crumbs. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use.
3. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.
4. While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans and broccoli. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and chopped broccoli and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans and broccoli into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the whipping cream. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.