WORLD'S BEST GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

BEANS
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon table salt (salt is key to the flavor so don't skimp; if you don't have table salt, use twice as much as the relatively 'less salty' kosher salt or sea salt)
1 pound fresh green beans, ends snapped, snapped into bite-size pieces

Bring the water to boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. While it comes to a boil, prep the beans. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the salt and beans to the boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until crisp-tender and still bright green. Drain beans in a colander, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain a bit in the colander again. Place a double layer of paper towels on a baking sheet, arrange beans in single layer to dry, top with a double layer of towels. (If doubling/tripling the recipe means cooking the beans in batches, start each batch with fresh water; at minimum, re-salt the water with each new batch. Don't skip the drying process.)

MUSHROOMS & SAUCE
8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms (CI uses white button mushrooms, I really like the color of the brown portabella but taste-wise, the two are identical)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (Cooks Illustrates uses 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon dry sherry (my addition, adds a new flavor dimension)
3/4 cup half & half (CI uses heavy cream which of course is fine though to my taste, unnecessary; don't use fat-free half-n-half, it won't thicken)
Salt & pepper to taste

Clean the mushrooms; break off and discard the stems. (Better yet, use the stems to make a night-before-Thanksgiving mushroom soup.) Break the mushroom tops into pieces. (Breaking the tops is important to the texture for slicing them with a knife makes the mushrooms more like the ones in canned soup.) Melt the butter in a skillet til shimmery. (Or to save a pan, use the pot used for cooking the beans.) Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Stirring often, cook til mushrooms begin to soften and exude their liquid, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook a minute. Add the chicken stock, sherry and bring to a simmer. Add the half & half, simmer til sauce thickens, about 10 - 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the cooked beans til they're evenly distributed throughout the sauce.

TOPPING (the quantity below is half what CI used; the full amount seemed way over the top to me, plus you can see from the picture, the topping isn't in the least bit skimpy)

1 slice good whole grain bread (I used this whole grain bread, the version without beets)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 a 2.8 ounce can of French fried onions
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In the food processor, process the bread, butter and seasonings in about 10 quick pulses. Stir in the onions -- but don't process. If making ahead, transfer to a storage container and refrigerate.

COOKING RIGHT AWAY Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer bean mixture to a greased quiche pan or baking dish. Top beans with topping and bake for 15 minutes.

COOKING LATER Transfer bean mixture to a greased quiche pan or baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Return to room temperature. (It takes about 3 hours for a triple batch to reach room temperature.) Remove plastic wrap. Heat in 425F oven for about 10 minutes. (Cook's Illustrated's 10 minutes might work for a one-pound batch in a relatively shallow pan like a quiche pan. For a triple batch, however, allow at least 30 - 40 minutes for a deeper dish, especially one prepped in advance or not quite at room temperature. In 2007, I cooked this along with a ham and other vegetables at 350F for nearly an hour.) Add topping and bake for another 15 minutes.