Similar to the ubiquitous Thanksgiving green bean casserole with fried onions on top, this homey dish fits the bill with a creamy, flavorful cheese sauce and a nice crunchy top. We use Schoch’s Junipero cheese (which tastes much like mild Swiss cheese) in this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup bread crumbs (we suggest sourdough bread crumbs)
4 tablespoons of butter, melted and divided
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
4 cups haricot verts (slender green beans), blanched
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 small onion, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
METHOD:
Mix bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and Parmesan, and set aside for the topping.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans to the boiling water and blanch for 3-4 minutes, just until barely cooked. Immediately drain and place beans in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Chill for one minute and drain the beans. Set aside.
Place the remaining butter in a large saucepan over low heat, and stir in flour, salt, pepper, onion, and sugar. Add sour cream, and stir constantly until the sauce is bubbly and thick. Remove from heat, and fold green beans into the sour cream sauce.
Spread beans into a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle Swiss cheese evenly over top. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese mixture evenly over the cheese. Bake at 400°F degrees for about 20 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
