Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 4 ounces bourbon 
• 4 ounces breadcrumbs 
• 4 cups mushroom broth 
• 2 ounces butter plus more to grease dish
• 4 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup rice cooked
• 2 ounces flour all-purpose
• 3 sprigs thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 8 ounces goat cheese 
• 3 pounds green beans cut in half
• 0.5 cup heavy cream 
• 1 bunch kale 
• 6 servings kosher salt 
• 6 servings olive oil 
• 2 ounces shiitake mushroom sliced
• 1  onion sweet yellow sliced

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• pot
• sieve
• casserole dish
• broiler

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a saute pan, saute the onions in the bourbon until soft.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. While the water heats, fill a large bowl with ice water and put a strainer in it. Drop the green beans into the boiling water and cook until crisp tender.
4. Remove from the pot and immediately plunge the green beans into the ice bath to stop the cooking.
5. Drain well.
6. Toss the shiitakes with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and spread across a baking sheet. Roast for 8 minutes and remove.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Toss the halved tomatoes with oil, salt and pepper.
8. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Reserve for garnish.
9. Coat the kale with oil, salt and pepper.
10. Bake in the oven with the tomatoes until crispy, about 20 minutes. Reserve for garnish.
11. In a small pot, heat the mushroom broth over medium heat until just under a simmer.
12. While it heats, melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until golden brown, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Slowly add the heated mushroom broth to the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Cook until it starts to boil.
13. Add the goat cheese, cream, thyme and some salt and pepper. Toss the green beans and mushrooms in the warm sauce.
14. Grease a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish.
15. Layer the dish with cooked rice and top with the green bean mixture. Cover with the breadcrumbs and bake for 15 minutes. If additional browning is desired after baking, place under the broiler. Top with the roasted tomatoes and crispy kale. Eat. Oh green bean casserole really is wonderful!