From Our Kitchen: A Classic Holiday Side and Dessert

From the Esalen Kitchen, some recipes feel like old friends. Green beans in a mushroom sauce bring the Garden’s flavors forward, while a pecan pie with a splash of bourbon carries some warmth and depth. These classic dishes — a side and a dessert — will keep family and friends at the table to savor some of what has been grown, offered, and shared.

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Green Bean Casserole

The traditional side dish that balances creamy, savory, and crispy just right. Prepared with either fresh (from the garden!) or canned green beans, the rich, homemade mushroom sauce and golden fried onions provide deep satisfaction for  that perfect crunch. A necessary component of any holiday table, but also simple enough for a weekday treat. Judging from reactions at the Lodge and the scraped-clean plates, it will always be received enthusiastically — followed by requests to make it more often.

Ingredients‍

• 1 1⁄2 to 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size (2-inch) pieces Or about 1 1⁄2 lb good frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained‍

Mushroom sauce

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced (white button or cremini)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk (whole milk recommended)
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream (optional, for richness)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A splash (1⁄2 teaspoon) of soy sauce or Worcestershire (optional, for depth)

Fried Onion Topping‍

• 1 large onion (Vidalia, yellow, or sweet), sliced thin (rings)
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• Oil (for frying, e.g. vegetable or canola)

Instructions

Prep and blanch green beans

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add green beans and cook 3–5 minutes just until crisp-tender (they should still have a bite).
3. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water (ice bath) to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

Make the mushroom cream sauce

1. In a skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent (~3–4 minutes).
3. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms release moisture and become browned (~5–7 min).
4. Add garlic, sauté another 30 seconds.
5. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to coat everything. Cook for 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
6. Gradually whisk in milk (and cream, if using), stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
7. Bring to a gentle simmer, cook until the sauce thickens (a few minutes).
8. Season with salt, pepper, and a small splash soy sauce or Worcestershire, to taste.

Make the fried onions

1. Separate onion slices into rings (or smaller strips).
2. In a shallow bowl, mix flour + salt + pepper.
3. Toss onion slices in the flour mixture to coat. Shake off excess.
4. In a skillet or pot, heat about 1⁄2 inch of oil to ~350 °F (or test with one onion — it should sizzle immediately).
5. Fry onions in batches until golden brown and crisp (about 2–3 minutes). Avoid overcrowding.
6. Transfer fried onions to paper towels to drain excess oil. They will crisp more as they cool.

Assemble and bake‍

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
2. In a casserole dish (9×13 or similar), combine the blanched green beans with the mushroom sauce, stirring gently to coat.
3. Spread mixture evenly.
4. Top with about two-thirds of the fried onions (reserving some for final topping).
5. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling.
6. Remove, sprinkle remaining fried onions on top, and return to the oven for 5 more minutes or until the top onions are golden.
7. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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Bourbon Pecan Pie

The classic pecan pie gets the extra special treatment during the holidays with a splash of bourbon for a sophisticated, adult twist that turns the decadent into the sublime. Just a little less than a shot of America’s best whiskey added to the pecans, caramel, golden syrup, vanilla, and butter mix somehow alchemizes into the most magical holiday delight: pure gooey goodness with rich, complex flavors and spicy undertones. For those who would rather use a non-alcoholic bourbon, there are options! When served at the Lodge, this treat disappears quickly, so double the recipe to make two at once, if you can!

Ingriedients

Crust

• 11⁄4 cups (155 g) all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 5 tablespoons (≈ 70 g) unsalted butter
• 2⁄3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2⁄3 cup light corn syrup
• 1⁄2 cup golden syrup (or substitute additional corn syrup if you can’t find it)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons bourbon or try a non-alcoholic bourbon 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1⁄2 cups pecan halves or large pieces (Reserve some whole halves for decoration)

Instructions

For the crust

1. In a bowl, whisk flour and salt.
2. Add the cold butter cubes; use your fingertips to cut/break the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size butter bits remaining.
3. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time and gently mix until the dough comes together, but don’t overwork.
4. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm enough to roll.
5. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about a 12-inch circle to fit and still have edge. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, trim and crimp edges. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

For the filling

1. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, melt and brown the butter. Watch the butter closely to avoid burning. Remove immediately when golden brown. Let it cool a bit.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together dark brown sugar, light corn syrup, and golden syrup until smooth.
3. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, salt, and bourbon. 
4. Slowly whisk in the browned butter.
5. Gently stir in pecans, reserving some whole halves if desired for decoration.

Assemble and bake

1. Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust. If using, arrange reserved pecan halves on top in a decorative pattern.
2. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet (to catch any drips).
3. Bake for about 60–70 minutes or until the edges are set and the center is just slightly jiggly (an internal temp of ~200 °F if you use a thermometer).
4. If the crust edges brown too fast, shield loosely with foil. 
5. Let the pie cool completely (2–3 hours) before slicing.