2Blanch the beans in salted boiling water until tender, then shock in ice water and dry.
3Cut blanched beans into 1-½-inch lengths.
4Toss shallot slices in a little flour, just enough to dust, then fry them in hot oil in batches until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
5Melt half the butter in a saute pan until foamy.
6Add mushrooms, stirring over medium-high heat until they begin to release their liquid.
7Lower the heat and stir occasionally until the mushrooms are soft.
8Deglaze the pan with the sherry, cook for a minute to dry out a bit, then melt the remaining butter over medium heat.
9Add the flour and stir thoroughly.
10Cook for a minute or two then add the milk in small increments, stirring continuously.
11It will start to thicken up immediately. Keep stirring to smooth out the lumps.
12Add the cream and cook on a low heat for another 5-10 minutes to thicken (it should be the consistency of heavy cream). If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk or water. If it’s too thin, then cook it down and reduce a bit.
13Season the mushrooms and sauce mixture with salt and pepper, then toss with the beans and put into a buttered casserole dish.
14Scatter the shallots on top and bake for 15 minutes.
1 hour
8