CLASSIC GREEN BEANS AU GRATIN

Classic Green Beans Au Gratin image

This classic au gratin recipe is one of my favorites. Perfect next to your holiday ham or turkey, this green bean casserole has a creamy, rich cheese sauce that enhances, but doesn't cover up, the green beans, so they are still the star of the show. Even though your family's probably expecting the same old green bean casserole you've been making for decades (the one with condensed soup, a ton of cheese, and way too many bread crumbs or French-fried onions), once they try this one, it might become a new holiday trend!

Provided by Chef John

Categories Side Dish Casseroles Green Bean Casserole Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ pounds fresh green beans
freshly ground black pepper to taste
kosher salt to taste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or more to taste
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 ounces Comté cheese, grated
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
⅓ cup dry bread crumbs
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Generously grease a casserole dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Bring a generously salted pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
Remove stems from beans by trimming with a knife or snapping them off with your fingers. Cut beans in half.
Add beans to the boiling water, stir, and cook until just barely tender, 5 to 6 minutes, testing often to make sure you don't overcook them.
Remove beans with a strainer and immediately place in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
Once beans have cooled to the touch, use your hands to drain and transfer them into the prepared casserole. It's okay if they're still a bit wet.
Season beans with pepper, kosher salt, and Dijon mustard; mix until beans are well coated. Pour in cream, scatter Comté cheese over top, and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Combine melted butter and bread crumbs in a small bowl. Stir until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand. Spoon and sprinkle bread crumbs over the casserole, then dust with cayenne.
Bake in the center of the preheated oven until browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 318.2 calories, Carbohydrate 13.2 g, Cholesterol 98.2 mg, Fat 28.7 g, Fiber 3.5 g, Protein 4.4 g, SaturatedFat 17.7 g, Sodium 140.1 mg, Sugar 1.8 g