Low-calorie green bean casserole

Ingredients:

• 3-4 medium shallots, unpeeled
• Coarse salt + 1.5 tsp.
• 450g fresh green beans, ends trimmed and halved
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 200g cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced ​​(about 4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 1.5 cups mushroom, vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Place the shallots (in their skins) in a small baking dish and roast until soft, about 30 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel and coarsely chop the shallots. Set aside.
   
   Culinary advice
   Roasting shallots whole is a great way to cook them without using fat..
2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Season with coarse salt to taste. Add the green beans and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse with cold water. Transfer the beans to a large bowl.
3. In the same pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the beans.
   
   Culinary advice
   When frying mushrooms, add salt immediately: they will release liquid and you will be able to use less oil..
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the shallots, 1 tablespoon of thyme, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss to coat evenly.
5. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the pan. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons of thyme into the breadcrumbs and sprinkle them over the vegetables. Bake, uncovered, until the sauce is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
   
   Note
   
   There are plenty of ready-made broths on supermarket shelves. We like mushroom broth in aseptic packaging the most. However, Asian-style mushroom broth is not suitable for this recipe. If you can't find mushroom broth, substitute vegetable or chicken broth.