An absolute first for me: Herby, Brothy Lima Bean Soup

marilynfl

Moderator
Since I'm bored with baking pastries I've been reviewing vegetarian and vegan cookbooks from the library. I'm gonna state right here and now that vegans get my utter respect because it is damn hard to make something without using 90% of the ingredients you grew up with. Meat is an easy one for me to eliminate when trying a recipe. It's the dairy--the milk and the heavy cream and the half/half and the butter and yogurt and cheeses (cream, parmesan, gruyere, feta, romano, sour, boursin, cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, paneer--and those are just the ones in my bin right now) that I am struggling with. Struggling and failing. Oh yes...absolutely failing.

So anyway, I have this book "The Weekday Vegetarian" by Jenny Rosenstrach. Here's her blog: Dinner: A Love Story Recipe Index
This latest book was her attempt to get the family (hubby and two teen-age daughters) to go vegetarian just during the week. Weekends were back to normal family meat-based favorites. And this lima bean recipe was a test for me. See, like the FBI, I have a "most hated" list that developed as a child and has continued throughout my life, gradually winnowing down as my taste buds matured or food began tasting less...less.

Lima beans were in the top five. You could always find my empty bowl at our table of 8 when Campbell's vegetable soup was served because it had the stray lima bean, stranded and abandoned at the bottom. But Jenny bragged about this simple soup; it's also on the cover and I actually went looking for the recipe, not realizing the star attraction was my arch nemesis.

So I decided to put this life-long hatred to a test. The recipe is simplicity itself. Soak then cook beans with salt and oil until soft, then add other stuff. Jenny recommended heirloom baby lima beans but I located dried baby lima beans and that was good enough for a test. She also said she wasn't including the option to use canned lima beans because the broth is key for the taste.

She was right.

1 lb dried lima beans
1/2 medium onion, chopped coarsely
1 TBL kosher salt
1/4 C EV olive oil
1 dried bay leaf

To serve:
leaves from fresh thyme
1 TBL fresh lemon juice
pesto (optional)
parmesan (optional)
more olive oil for drizzle

Cover dried beans with 2" of water and soak 6 hours or more. When ready to cook, ensure there is 1.5" of water over beans, add onion, bay leaf, salt and olive oil. Simmer 40 minutes. When beans are soft, ladle into bowl with broth and add toppings.

Marilyn's Note: I followed this exactly and the only key change was it took much longer to get to soft bean than 40 minutes. My beans soaked overnight, simmered 40 minutes, then another 20 minutes, then ANOTHER 20 minutes....so nearly an hour and half for me. The baby limas were small when dried but ended up full size once rehydrated and cooked. I can't imagine what size a regular lime bean ends up like.

Anyway, the moral of this story is, the beans were not mushy nor mealy and not a single one was left at the bottom of the bowl. I only wish I had crusty bread worthy of it.

Take note: Cantaloupe just moved up a notch on The List.

lima bean.jpg
 
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Oh how I detested lima beans (most any bean unless it was sugary baked beans) as a child. Now I find them absolutely divine! So creamy! Soup looks yummy!!!
 
Since I'm bored with baking pastries I've been reviewing vegetarian and vegan cookbooks from the library. I'm gonna state right here and now that vegans get my utter respect because it is damn hard to make something without using 90% of the ingredients you grew up with. Meat is an easy one for me to eliminate when trying a recipe. It's the dairy--the milk and the heavy cream and the half/half and the butter and yogurt and cheeses (cream, parmesan, gruyere, feta, romano, sour, boursin, cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, paneer--and those are just the ones in my bin right now) that I am struggling with. Struggling and failing. Oh yes...absolutely failing.

So anyway, I have this book "The Weekday Vegetarian" by Jenny Rosenstrach. Here's her blog: Dinner: A Love Story Recipe Index
This latest book was her attempt to get the family (hubby and two teen-age daughters) to go vegetarian just during the week. Weekends were back to normal family meat-based favorites. And this lima bean recipe was a test for me. See, like the FBI, I have a "most hated" list that developed as a child and has continued throughout my life, gradually winnowing down as my taste buds matured or food began tasting less...less.

Lima beans were in the top five. You could always find my empty bowl at our table of 8 when Campbell's vegetable soup was served because it had the stray lima bean, stranded and abandoned at the bottom. But Jenny bragged about this simple soup; it's also on the cover and I actually went looking for the recipe, not realizing the star attraction was my arch nemesis.

So I decided to put this life-long hatred to a test. The recipe is simplicity itself. Soak then cook beans with salt and oil until soft, then add other stuff. Jenny recommended heirloom baby lima beans but I located dried baby lima beans and that was good enough for a test. She also said she wasn't including the option to use canned lima beans because the broth is key for the taste.

She was right.

Cantaloupe just moved up a notch on The List.

1 lb dried lima beans
1/2 medium onion, chopped coarsely
1 TBL kosher salt
1/4 C EV olive oil
1 dried bay leaf

To serve:
leaves from fresh thyme
1 TBL fresh lemon juice
pesto (optional)
parmesan (optional)
more olive oil for drizzle

Cover dried beans with 2" of water and soak 6 hours or more. When ready to cook, ensure there is 1.5" of water over beans, add onion, bay leaf, salt and olive oil. Simmer 40 minutes. When beans are soft, ladle into bowl with broth and add toppings.

Marilyn's Note: I followed this exactly and the only key change was it took much longer to get to soft bean than 40 minutes. My beans soaked overnight, simmered 40 minutes, then another 20 minutes, then ANOTHER 20 minutes....so nearly an hour and half for me. The baby limas were small when dried but ended up full size once rehydrated and cooked. I can't imagine what size a regular lime bean ends up like.

Anyway, the moral of this story is, the beans were not mushy and mealy and not a single one was left at the bottom of the bowl. I just wish I'd had bread worthy of it.

View attachment 30
That does look delicious--and I'm so glad you (and the recipe author) used baby limas (what we call "butter beans" ). Regular limas are just too starchy. And the broth is surely the key.
And a vegan diet is difficult!! I spent last week at the beach with our family and DGD's graduation friends, several of whom are vegan--as is DGD. I checked with them about how strict they wanted to be on some things and they bent the rules for my crab cakes and some other things. But DGD has said she is having trouble keeping her iron up and another of her friends said she just had to stop--she just wasn't getting enough protein.
But I do have to say I have found some really tasty vegan recipes for her--and my DD who while not vegan eats a low meat diet.
 
Several years ago i did a Whole Foods sponsored vegan for a month challenge. It was ridiculously difficult and I don’t know how I managed it or why I didn’t just give up. Vegetarian is easy peasy after that. This soup sounds good, though not a bean fan I might give it a go.

Right now I’ve got the Nimble Cook checked out and got a watermelon to try out using every last part of one.
 
My favorite bean is the Royal Corona Bean from Rancho Gordo. It is a huge white bean that gets even bigger during the slow cooker process. I often refer to it as a baby baked potato. It is so creamy in the inside and totally delicious. I never soak my beans. but cook them long and slow with onion and garlic in chicken stock. Mexican Oregano is a must, added later. Then at serving a drizzle of Pineapple Vinegar, also from Rancho Gordo. Oh, and the bean is shaped just like a Lima Bean, but larger.
 
Marlyn, I love lima beans, but I'm right there with you on the difficulty of a vegan diet. I managed vegan for a year and a half some years ago, but ditto on your list of dairy items as my downfall. Thanks for this recipe.
 
Since I'm bored with baking pastries I've been reviewing vegetarian and vegan cookbooks from the library. I'm gonna state right here and now that vegans get my utter respect because it is damn hard to make something without using 90% of the ingredients you grew up with. Meat is an easy one for me to eliminate when trying a recipe. It's the dairy--the milk and the heavy cream and the half/half and the butter and yogurt and cheeses (cream, parmesan, gruyere, feta, romano, sour, boursin, cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, paneer--and those are just the ones in my bin right now) that I am struggling with. Struggling and failing. Oh yes...absolutely failing.

So anyway, I have this book "The Weekday Vegetarian" by Jenny Rosenstrach. Here's her blog: Dinner: A Love Story Recipe Index
This latest book was her attempt to get the family (hubby and two teen-age daughters) to go vegetarian just during the week. Weekends were back to normal family meat-based favorites. And this lima bean recipe was a test for me. See, like the FBI, I have a "most hated" list that developed as a child and has continued throughout my life, gradually winnowing down as my taste buds matured or food began tasting less...less.

Lima beans were in the top five. You could always find my empty bowl at our table of 8 when Campbell's vegetable soup was served because it had the stray lima bean, stranded and abandoned at the bottom. But Jenny bragged about this simple soup; it's also on the cover and I actually went looking for the recipe, not realizing the star attraction was my arch nemesis.

So I decided to put this life-long hatred to a test. The recipe is simplicity itself. Soak then cook beans with salt and oil until soft, then add other stuff. Jenny recommended heirloom baby lima beans but I located dried baby lima beans and that was good enough for a test. She also said she wasn't including the option to use canned lima beans because the broth is key for the taste.

She was right.

1 lb dried lima beans
1/2 medium onion, chopped coarsely
1 TBL kosher salt
1/4 C EV olive oil
1 dried bay leaf

To serve:
leaves from fresh thyme
1 TBL fresh lemon juice
pesto (optional)
parmesan (optional)
more olive oil for drizzle

Cover dried beans with 2" of water and soak 6 hours or more. When ready to cook, ensure there is 1.5" of water over beans, add onion, bay leaf, salt and olive oil. Simmer 40 minutes. When beans are soft, ladle into bowl with broth and add toppings.

Marilyn's Note: I followed this exactly and the only key change was it took much longer to get to soft bean than 40 minutes. My beans soaked overnight, simmered 40 minutes, then another 20 minutes, then ANOTHER 20 minutes....so nearly an hour and half for me. The baby limas were small when dried but ended up full size once rehydrated and cooked. I can't imagine what size a regular lime bean ends up like.

Anyway, the moral of this story is, the beans were not mushy nor mealy and not a single one was left at the bottom of the bowl. I only wish I had crusty bread worthy of it.

Take note: Cantaloupe just moved up a notch on The List.

View attachment 30
I haven’t summoned up the courage to cook a legume called a butter bean. They are really big. I’m hoping I’ll end up liking them as much as I ended up liking hominy.
I have some ham and will give it a try next week. Thanks Mar!
 
NOTE--in the South a "butter bean" is a baby lima bean. They are small and sometimes even tiny. Please look for that in the frozen food case--baby lima beans. They are delicious.
Marilyn says she found dried baby lima beans. I will look but I have never noticed those--and I look at dried legumes a good bit.
If you use frozen baby limas or in the summer can find fresh, just cook them in some chicken broth until done (less time for frozen and maybe30 minutes for fresh) with her accompaniments and you will have a nice bowl of beans also.
Gonna look for dried!!
 
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My favorite bean is the Royal Corona Bean from Rancho Gordo. It is a huge white bean that gets even bigger during the slow cooker process. I often refer to it as a baby baked potato. It is so creamy in the inside and totally delicious. I never soak my beans. but cook them long and slow with onion and garlic in chicken stock. Mexican Oregano is a must, added later. Then at serving a drizzle of Pineapple Vinegar, also from Rancho Gordo. Oh, and the bean is shaped just like a Lima Bean, but larger.
Me too - I never had dried beans until I was an adult and I didn't like them much and I thought I hated limas because I grew up with fresh butter beans (well, we froze them to get us through the year) from my grandmother's garden. But after having Rancho Gordo's Royal Corona's, there is nothing better!
 
NOTE--in the South a "butter bean" is a baby lima bean. They are small and sometimes even tiny. Please look for that in the frozen food case--baby lima beans. They are delicious.
Marilyn says she found dried baby lima beans. I will look but I have never noticed those--and I look at dried legumes a good bit.
If you use frozen baby limas or in the summer can find fresh, just cook them in some chicken broth until done (less time for frozen and maybe30 minutes for fresh) with her accompaniments and you will have a nice bowl of beans also.
Gonna look for dried!!
I hated limas when they were served to me as a kid - think they were probably canned. I always describe limas as being big, and fuzzy/furry. Butter beans are slick and very green or speckled. What I see that I use when I want butter beans since my grandmother passed away are called baby limas or baby Ford Hook limas. Occasionally I will see them actually labeled as butter beans but I can't remember what brand that is. Canned butter beans (Margaret Holmes or Glory brands I think), are just as horrible as canned limas!
 
The craze over these started with this article and I have to tell you, yes it is a lot of olive oil but damn these are good. I didn't think I would like it with that much mint and oregano as I am not really a fan of either but it just works in this recipe. I can't get the fresh beans so I use Rancho Gordo Royal Coronas. Before that I used basically the same thing but I got them from the bulk bins at a Middle Eastern grocery store and they stopped carrying them. After cooking, I separate most of the olive oil off the top and freeze it for the next time I make a pot. DO NOT omit the breadcrumbs. City House here in Nashville is amazing - James Beard award winning amazing. And several things I have had there that were so good I never put my fork down or talked until I was finished stuffing my face - were made with breadcrumbs but I call them golden nuggets. I use a good chewy bread with a large crumb and use a fork or my fingers to shread the interior into little nuggets, not too small mind you. Then toss with olive oil and/or melted butter and a little salt. You can add herbs if you like - thyme works really well especially when I use these to top my incredibly rich mac and cheese. Then just toast in the oven or a skillet until golden brown and crunchy. You want these big enough that when they are a nice golden brown on the outside and crunchy, they are still a little tender and chewy on the inside. OMG - they make anything you put them on!!!

Anyway, I feel like everyone stole Marlow & Daughters/Carla Lalli Music's technique/recipe so try the original, you won't be disappointed!
Magic Brothy Bowl of Beans
 
NOTE--in the South a "butter bean" is a baby lima bean. They are small and sometimes even tiny. Please look for that in the frozen food case--baby lima beans. They are delicious.
Marilyn says she found dried baby lima beans. I will look but I have never noticed those--and I look at dried legumes a good bit.
If you use frozen baby limas or in the summer can find fresh, just cook them in some chicken broth until done (less time for frozen and maybe30 minutes for fresh) with her accompaniments and you will have a nice bowl of beans also.
Gonna look for dried!!
Charley - before I became a Rancho Gordo freak, I did find dried baby limas. Pretty sure the brand had to be Camellia or Goya as those were the two brands I always bought. Publix was carrying a better selection of Camellia than anyone else but then started discontinuing and I think the only Camellia they carry now, at least here, is their red beans. One time I even found a dried baby green lima which was about as close to the butterbeans my grandma grew as anything I have ever had that wasn't fresh.
 
Since I'm bored with baking pastries I've been reviewing vegetarian and vegan cookbooks from the library. I'm gonna state right here and now that vegans get my utter respect because it is damn hard to make something without using 90% of the ingredients you grew up with. Meat is an easy one for me to eliminate when trying a recipe. It's the dairy--the milk and the heavy cream and the half/half and the butter and yogurt and cheeses (cream, parmesan, gruyere, feta, romano, sour, boursin, cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, paneer--and those are just the ones in my bin right now) that I am struggling with. Struggling and failing. Oh yes...absolutely failing.

So anyway, I have this book "The Weekday Vegetarian" by Jenny Rosenstrach. Here's her blog: Dinner: A Love Story Recipe Index
This latest book was her attempt to get the family (hubby and two teen-age daughters) to go vegetarian just during the week. Weekends were back to normal family meat-based favorites. And this lima bean recipe was a test for me. See, like the FBI, I have a "most hated" list that developed as a child and has continued throughout my life, gradually winnowing down as my taste buds matured or food began tasting less...less.

Lima beans were in the top five. You could always find my empty bowl at our table of 8 when Campbell's vegetable soup was served because it had the stray lima bean, stranded and abandoned at the bottom. But Jenny bragged about this simple soup; it's also on the cover and I actually went looking for the recipe, not realizing the star attraction was my arch nemesis.

So I decided to put this life-long hatred to a test. The recipe is simplicity itself. Soak then cook beans with salt and oil until soft, then add other stuff. Jenny recommended heirloom baby lima beans but I located dried baby lima beans and that was good enough for a test. She also said she wasn't including the option to use canned lima beans because the broth is key for the taste.

She was right.

1 lb dried lima beans
1/2 medium onion, chopped coarsely
1 TBL kosher salt
1/4 C EV olive oil
1 dried bay leaf

To serve:
leaves from fresh thyme
1 TBL fresh lemon juice
pesto (optional)
parmesan (optional)
more olive oil for drizzle

Cover dried beans with 2" of water and soak 6 hours or more. When ready to cook, ensure there is 1.5" of water over beans, add onion, bay leaf, salt and olive oil. Simmer 40 minutes. When beans are soft, ladle into bowl with broth and add toppings.

Marilyn's Note: I followed this exactly and the only key change was it took much longer to get to soft bean than 40 minutes. My beans soaked overnight, simmered 40 minutes, then another 20 minutes, then ANOTHER 20 minutes....so nearly an hour and half for me. The baby limas were small when dried but ended up full size once rehydrated and cooked. I can't imagine what size a regular lime bean ends up like.

Anyway, the moral of this story is, the beans were not mushy nor mealy and not a single one was left at the bottom of the bowl. I only wish I had crusty bread worthy of it.

Take note: Cantaloupe just moved up a notch on The List.

View attachment 30
That looks good. They have a bean out here called a butter bean. I haven’t summoned up the courage to try. I was like that with hominy, it made me kind of gaggy but after trying it, I rarely make a Mexican soup without it.
 
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