Gourmet Green Bean Casserole

Hands-on time: 30 minutes Time to table: 45 minutes PREP, COOK, DRAIN & DRY the GREEN BEANS In a large pot, bring the water to boil. Wash the beans. Snap the ends and snap into bite-sized pieces. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender and still bright green. Drain beans in a colander, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain a bit in the colander again. Place a double layer of paper towels (or a clean, lint-free tea towel) on a baking sheet, arrange beans in a single layer to dry, top with a double layer of towels (or tea towel), and pat to dry. Let the beans dry while you make the sauce. (If you cook the beans in batches, start each batch with fresh water; at minimum, re-salt the water with each new batch. Don't skip the drying process!) COOK the MUSHROOMS & MAKE the SAUCE Clean the mushrooms; break off and discard the stems (or make mushroom soup.) Break the mushroom tops into irregular pieces (not sliced). Melt the butter in a skillet until shimmery. (You can use the pot used for cooking the beans, but I like a large skillet) Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Stirring often, cook until mushrooms begin to soften and exude liquid, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for a minute. A tablespoon at a time at first, add the chicken stock and sherry; bring to a simmer. Add the half & half and simmer til sauce thickens, about 10 - 15 minutes (don't panic if it takes longer). Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the cooked beans til they are evenly distributed throughout the sauce. (Use a large pot or bowl if you need more room to stir.) TOPPING In the food processor, process the bread, butter, and seasonings in about 10 quick pulses. Stir in the onions -- but don't process. If making ahead, transfer to a storage container and refrigerate. TO BAKE RIGHT AWAY Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer hot bean mixture to a greased quiche pan or baking dish. Top beans with topping and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. TO BAKE LATER Transfer bean mixture to a greased quiche pan or baking dish. Do NOT add the topping. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Before you bake the casserole, return it to room temperature (1-2 hours). Preheat oven to 425F. Remove plastic wrap. Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, 10 - 30 minutes. Ten minutes is enough for a shallow dish like a quiche pan. Deeper dishes take longer. Add topping and bake for another 15 minutes. TIMING for DOUBLE & TRIPLE BATCHES If you increase the recipe, it takes longer to bring the casserole to room temperature (allow 3+ hours for a triple batch) and longer to heat it through (allow at least 30 minutes for a triple batch, especially one prepped in advance or not quite at room temperature). NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Serving: 138 Cal (54% from Fat, 12% from Protein, 33% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 9 g Tot Fat; 5 g Sat Fat; 12 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb8; 54 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 218 mg Sodium; 16 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points