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I hate Raymond, but everyone else hates lima beans. Yet there’s a world of difference between those grey-green things in the freezer and sweet, creamy dried lima beans. Limas — named for the Peruvian city where conquistadors “discovered” this legume along with peppers, tomatoes and potatoes — make a great addition to Mediterranean stews and casseroles. A source of vitamins A and C, half a cup of limas has only 90 calories.
RECIPE
This Greek recipe for Skordalia, a dip dunked with grilled pita triangles or raw veggie sticks, replaces more traditional potato with buttery limas. Rinse 1/2 cup dried lima beans in water, place in a saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a medium simmer and cook for several hours until the beans soften, adding more water as required. Drain and rinse. Place the cooked beans in a food processor, and with the machine running, feed 3 cloves of garlic through the tube. Gradually add 3/4 cup olive oil and purée the mixture until almost smooth but still a bit textured. Season with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley.SD
