Butter Beans Limas Food

BABY LIMA BEANS (BUTTERBEANS)

Steps:

• Shell the beans and wash thoroughly. Put 2 cups water and the salt in a medium saucepan and add the beans. Cook the beans until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the liquid and add the butter. Sprinkle lightly with the black pepper before serving.

SOUTHERN LIMA BEANS WITH HAM

Steps:

• Rinse and sort the beans. Set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the rinsed beans, ham hock, bay leaf, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat slightly just so that it's at a low boil, and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce heat again just so that the liquid is simmering. Cover and cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until beans are tender. Check the beans after 1 hour, because they may be soft enough at that point if you like your beans a bit more firm. If you prefer the beans really soft and broken down, you may prefer to extend the cooking time to 2 hours. While the beans are cooking, check to occasionally make sure that the beans are covered with water (adding more water, if necessary). Discard bay leaf, remove ham hock from the pot, and shred or chop the meat. Return chopped meat to the pot with the beans. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Garnish individual servings with hot sauce and herbs; serve with cornbread.

BUTTER BEANS (LIMAS)

Steps:

• Saute onions & garlic in bacon drippings until onions are transparent. Add ham bone (or ham), beans & water. Season with salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer until beans are tender, about 45 minutes for fresh beans or 1.5 hours for dried. You may need to add more water if beans start to stick or become dry,.