Green bean makeover: Beyond the side dish to culinary star
Green beans are often merely seen as a side dish to the main course. However, green or yellow beans baked under a blanket of creamy béchamel can also serve as a standalone dish. In the United States, this type of casserole is served on Thanksgiving. Here in the UK, it's worth making when seasonal vegetables are available.
You can bake both green and yellow beans under béchamel. The green ones have a slightly spicier taste with a hint of bitterness, while the yellow ones are milder and sweeter. If you're looking for a bit of meat, choose minced beef, but fry it in a pan first to ensure the casserole doesn’t become watery. In the vegetarian version, you can add sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese.
What to use green beans for?
Many people do not appreciate the potential of green beans. Meanwhile, these spring beans can also be an excellent component of one-pot meals or colourful salads. With green beans, you can prepare both a delicious savoury tart and a hearty breakfast omelette.
Recipe for baked green beans
When Americans make green beans for Thanksgiving, they additionally sprinkle them with fried onions. In this version, the onions are fried with garlic.
Ingredients:
- 450 grams green beans,
- 1 onion,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 2 tablespoons of flour,
- 480 ml of milk,
- 2 tablespoons of butter,
- 140 grams grated Parmesan cheese.
Instructions:
- Wash the beans and trim the ends. Boil water in a pot, add a teaspoon of salt, and toss the beans into the boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Remove them into a colander and rinse with cold tap water.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan and sauté the sliced onion until soft; add finely chopped garlic after a moment.
- When the vegetables start to smell fragrant, add flour and mix well. After a moment, pour in the milk and stir vigorously to combine the ingredients into a thick sauce.
- Transfer the blanched beans to a baking dish and mix with half of the Parmesan.
- Cover with béchamel, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, and put in the oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes.
