The first time I tried green bean casserole was at a barbecue joint here in New York City named Hill Country. Yes, the brisket was spectacular; yes, the slow-cooked chicken was silky perfection. But one taste of those crispy fried onions and the rest of the table was going to have to fight me for those green beans.

This is a tarted-up version of a classic trailerpark dish that I first presented at a potluck last Thanksgiving. Knowing that I was going to the fashionably appointed home of a jetsetting banker–Norway-born, Cairo-bred and lately married in South Africa–I poured a huge slug of truffle oil in with the Campbell’s cream of mushroom, a tongue-in-cheek attempt to make the humble dish more appealing to her well-traveled palate.

Well, the semi-ironic gesture was a sincere success.

Today, I’ve reined in the truffle oil so that it’s more of a hint than a set-piece; replaced french-fried onions with the crisped shallots that add smoky, bittersweet flavour to noodle soups across Southeast Asia; cut down the quantities to make a casserole for two–we don’t all have potluck-sized households.

What I haven’t done is substitute slender haricots verts for the string beans (their delicate texture won’t stand up to such a hearty preparation), or replace the Campbell’s soup with béchamel: a makeover still has to respect the identity of its subject, after all!

The green beans in this recipe are sliced on a deep bias, which not only shortens cooking time, but exposes more of the tender inner flesh to the teeth, avoiding the waxy sensation that can sometimes accompany green bean dishes. Certainly, the dish will work if you slice the bean into inch-long fingers, but I happen to enjoy the hypnotic monotony of time-consuming knifework.

A single shallot is enough for the recipe, but as long as I am slicing and deep-frying shallots, I like to do a few more to keep in the fridge. Even a bowl of instant ramen is elevated by a sprinkling of the golden shreds.

Truffled Green Bean Casserole With Golden Shallots–Serves 2 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and sliced on the bias
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp white truffle oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 shallot, sliced thin
Vegetable oil to deep-fry

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375.

Place the sliced shallot in a small saucepan with just enough vegetable oil to cover. Turn the heat on low and slowly bring the oil to a simmer. Maintain at a constant simmer until shallots are brown, about 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

While the shallots are frying, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Boil the green beans until just tooth-tender, about seven minutes. Drain.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the beans with the cream of mushroom soup. Add truffle oil and black pepper. Taste and adjust truffle oil and seasoning if necessary.

Transfer beans to a small casserole dish, and top with breadcrumbs. Bake until breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, and top with sprinkling of deep-fried shallots. Serve immediately.

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