Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 4 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 10 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1.5 cups crispy fried onions
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the salt. Drop in fresh beans and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Immediately plunge beans into a bowl of ice water to shock them and lock in the green color. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a large oven-safe skillet, cook diced bacon until crisp. Remove bacon bits, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
  4. Add mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until moisture has evaporated and they are deeply browned. Stir in minced garlic.
  5. Add butter and flour to the mushrooms, whisking for 2 minutes to create a roux.
  6. Slowly whisk in milk and heavy cream. Simmer until thickened. Stir in soy sauce, pepper, and nutmeg.
  7. Fold the blanched green beans and bacon into the sauce.
  8. Combine fried onions, panko, and parmesan in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the beans.
  9. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.