Lima Bean Purée Food

MINTY-GREEN LIMA BEAN PUREE

Steps:

• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until lightly golden. Remove the almonds from the pan and set aside.
• Return the skillet medium heat and warm the butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the lima beans, salt and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the lima beans are heated through and tender, about 5 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add the mint and puree until a smooth, even consistency is reached. Season with salt, if needed. Transfer the puree to a serving bowl and serve garnished with a drizzle of the remaining olive oil, black pepper, to taste, and the toasted almonds.

LIMA BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• Simmer lima beans in water with 1teaspoon salt in a 5-quart pot, covered, until just tender, about 15 minutes.
• Purée beans with cooking liquid in batches in a food processor until smooth, then force purée through a medium-mesh sieve or a food mill fitted with fine disk into a large bowl.
• Heat half-and-half and butter in a small saucepan over moderate heat until butter is melted, then stir into bean purée along with cayenne, black pepper, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. If purée is too thick, thin to desired consistency with additional half-and-half.

LIMA BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• Combine 6 cups water, lima beans, garlic, and rosemary sprig in large saucepan. Boil until beans are very soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Discard rosemary sprig. Transfer bean mixture to processor. Add butter and puree until smooth, adding some of reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls as needed to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally and adding more reserved cooking liquid as needed to moisten.)

LIMA BEAN SPREAD WITH FETA AND ZA'ATAR

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring about 3 quarts water to a boil and add soaked, skinned beans. Reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are very soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, drizzle garlic with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast until very tender, about 30 minutes.
• When beans are soft, reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain well. Using a food processor, blend beans just until coarsely mashed. Allow roasted garlic to cool until it can be handled, then squeeze garlic out of its skin into bean purée. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and cumin. Process just until blended, adding a bit of reserved cooking water if needed to make a rough, chunky purée.
• Transfer to a bowl. Add mint and feta, and stir to mix. Season with salt, as needed. Place in a serving dish, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the za'atar. Serve with pita bread.

LIMA BEAN PUREE OR GREEN MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan heat the lima beans, chicken broth, rosemary, salt and pepper to boiling. Reduce heat and let simmer for a few minutes until limas are heated through, approx 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the lima beans reserving approximately 1/2 cup of liquid.
• Place hot lima beans back into the sauce pan. Add butter and chicken broth in 1 Tablespoon increments as needed. Either with a masher or with an emersion blender (I use the emersion blender) puree the lima bean/butter/broth mixture until silky smooth and they resemble "green mashed potatoes". If they seem too dry, add some more of the reserved chicken broth until the consistency is to your liking.
• These are a healthy alternative in our house and everyone loves them. Even the veggie haters always leave raving about these lima's!