 |
The ‘green bean casserole’ was created in 1955 by the Campbell Soup Company and has been a Thanksgiving favorite on a gazillion tables across America for more than 50 years!
This one is a makeover. It’s Italian. It’s lighter. And, it’s contemporary. This is an ‘instead of” recipe.
For this month’s makeover challenge, the 5 Star Cooking Group took on re-inventing the iconic Green Bean Casserole.
My family is not culinarily traditional so I never had green bean casserole. In fact, I was surprised to see soy sauce as one of the ingredients. Oh, yes, we celebrate Thanksgiving – big time! But, like FOODalogue, we’re always reinventing, freshening, spicing and (trying to) lighten up the multitude of dishes on the table.
Once I saw this recipe, I knew immediately this was going to be an “instead of” recipe — a literal makeover line-by-line.
May your stuffing be tasty,
may your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy
have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
and your pies take the prize.
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
stay off your thighs!
Anonymous
Italian Green Bean and Porcini Mushrooms with Parmesan Bechamel and Fried Spaghetti
Instead of frozen cut green beans … fresh Italian green beans*
Instead of cream of mushroom soup … parmesan bechamel and porcini mushrooms
Instead of soy sauce … anchovies
Instead of black pepper … red chili flakes (with the beans) and white pepper (in bechamel)
Instead of French’s Fried Onions … fried spaghetti
*The beans are also known as borlotto, flat bean, pole and Romano. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find them by any of their names in the markets or farm stores near me so I used traditional green beans — and yellow for a little diversity.
Finishing Touch: A sprinkle of porcini salt.
Cooking Tips:
• Reconstitute dried porcini mushrooms in hot chicken broth.
• Roast beans and mushrooms with garlic-and-anchovy-infused olive oil.
• Mario Batali bechamel sauce; FOODalogue adds parmesan and white pepper.
• Fry vermicelli nests or broken thin pasta for topping.
• Sprinkle with porcini salt as a ‘finishing touch’.
• Make a lot. I would almost bypass the turkey and stuffing for another helping of this! 
Tasting Notes:
• There’s crunch from the spaghetti and a bite to the beans since they were roasted, not boiled (yuck!)
• Anchovy provides the salt and adds a deep nutty, briny flavor.
• With porcini, you get aroma and an earthiness.
• Lastly, a sprinkle of porcini salt over the fried spaghetti complements and heightens the mouthfeel.
What do you think?
Round-up will be posted on Friday, November 30. I can’t wait to see how many variations of green bean casserole the group comes up with!
28 Comments
fried. spaghetti. green beans. bechamel sauce. you ROCK Foodalogue!
Thanks, Christine. It was delicious and not sweet/savory!
I just made a modern version of the beloved green been casserole, but didn’t take the time to get any decent photos. In fact, it looks so ugly in my pics that no one would want to make it. Yours, however, are gorgeous. I make this every Thanksgiving and when I suggest that I make other things (with Sweet Potato Soufflé), i get booed and hissed.
Flavors of the Sun recently posted..Cookbooks and a Long-Overdue Soup
I think if you give them traditional food in non-traditional ways, there shouldn’t be any complaints. I’d like to see you re-do your modern version for your Thanksgiving and share it on your blog.
I write a weekly food blog – Edibletcetera.com – and I love to see contemporary twists on traditional recipes; particularly when the traditional version involves opening a can
This looks terrific!
Thank you – and thanks for your visit.
Joan, this might be the most creative green bean casserole I’ve ever seen. And the spaghetti on top just makes it. Wow.
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..Herbed Shrimp and White Beans with Arugula – dinner in 30 minutes
Thank you, Sam. The idea came almost immediately after learning the challenge and I was very pleased with the way it turned out.
Joan – this looks amazing! I always cringe with the other one but yours is mouthwatering! Great presentation! THANK YOU for sharing!
Beautiful! I recall when that recipe was the height of haute cuisine! You made it much more gorgeous than I ever thought possible….but, that is what you do!
V
A Canadian Foodie recently posted..Homemade Hand-rolled Bolognese Pasta: Taglietelle, Tortelloni, Tortellini and Piselli
Thank you. You say the nicest things!
This is gorgeous, Joan! I love your remake of this dish. The fried spaghetti was genius.
Faith recently posted..White Bean Casserole with Crunchy Onion Topping
Thanks, Faith. Aren’t these challenges so much fun?
This is brilliant, I love the whole idea especially with the fried spaghetti!
Marie recently posted..A Virtual Pot of Pasta Fagioli Soup for my Friends
Thanks Marie – we’re always looking for a way to include pasta, right?
love the fried spaghetti!
amelia from z tasty life recently posted..Pere “ubriache” (“drunken” pears), with zabaglione custard
I am off to make mine and you really make it hard on us after this rendition. The fried Spaghetti was a brilliant idea….
Platanos Mangoes & Me! recently posted..STUFFED CABBAGE – REPOLLO RELLENO
I love this makeover a lot. The fried spaghetti is a clever substitute for fried onions. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks Debi. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family too.
What a great idea,Joan!It looks delicious!I can’t wait to see the other creations!
Erica recently posted..Jugo de Tamarindo (Tamarind Juice)
Thanks Erica – I can’t wait to see yours too.
I have never had the classic and now I’d have only yours any time. Oh the parmesan bechamel, the porcini nd anchovies. Very refreshing makeover.
Ha, I am surprised to see soy sauce as well, That would have been FAR too exotic for my father, lol. This is a very elegant transformation.
Trix recently posted..Cheddar Cheese Soup with Haricots Verts, Mushrooms, & Cronions; A Green Bean Casserole Makeover
Super makeover Joan!
Fried spaghetti, brilliant!
Once again you take the challenge up a notch.
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
LL
Lori Lynn recently posted..Stuffed Mushrooms “Green Bean Casserole Style”
I’ve been making an updated version of this since moving to Argentina (no Campbell’s soup here!). Your spin on it is definitely interesting.
Katie recently posted..2012 Argentina Holiday Gift Guide
An excellent makeover, Joan! I love the fried spaghetti topping!
Excellent. I love that each component in the original recipe had a counterpart in yours. It looks fantastic
Victoria recently posted..Exploring Armenia 8: Karabakh
I never knew about the soy sauce, interesting. But your beautiful version with that gorgeous fried spaghetti is genius!
Trackbacks / Pingbacks
show trackbacks