Why All the Hate? Recipes to Convert Lima Bean Despisers #SundayFunday

Today the Sunday Funday bloggers are celebrating Lima Bean Respect Day. Yep. April 20th is Lima Bean Respect Day. I invited the crew: "Let's fête this much-maligned bean. Depending on where you find the beans, they may also go by one of the following names: butter peas, gigante beans, Madagascar beans, and chad beans."

First, I need to admit that in picking this topic, my goal was culinary therapy - for myself. There are very few things I don't eat. But lima beans were definitely one of them. Let's start with this: my mom is not a great cook. She's not even a good cook. And when I was little, she would make lima beans. I remember they were frozen in the shape of a cube. I don't remember how my mom served them - just that they were simultaneously chalky and greasy. They were gross. So, I fell into the 'lima bean despiser' camp. When I created this event, I dove in and was determined to use lima beans in a way that they were delicious. Before I get to my adventures, here's the line-up of lima bean recipes from the Sunday Funday writers...

• Butter Beans Curry, Maharashtrian Sprouted Usal, Instant Pot Recipe by Cook with Renu

• Creamy Thyme Butter Beans by Food Lust People Love

• Greek Yogurt Soup With Zucchini, Liman Beans & Red Lentils by Sneha's Recipe

• Ham & Baby Lima Bean Soup by Amy's Cooking Adventures

• Pizza Beans by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Southern Style Green Lima Beans by Making Miracles

• Summer Squash Succotash by Karen's Kitchen Stories

• Vaal Nu Shaak by Mayuri's Jikoni

• Why All the Hate? Recipes to Convert Lima Bean Despisers </a>by Culinary Cam (you're here)

Back to the Beans

When I started looking for lima beans, I didn't find many. That's when I realized they have been re-branded. Maybe too many people hated them, so they called them something else. Maybe. I was able to get my hands on them as gigante beans. Then I found several heiloom lima beans through Rancho Gordo. They had these gorgeous crimson speckled beans called "Christmas Lima Beans" (on their website) and white lima beans.

I used the white lima beans to make...

Fagioli all’Uccelletto

Fagioli all’Uccelletto is a Tuscan take on baked beans, layered with aromatic garlic, earthy sage, and a rich tomato sauce. Tuscany is a region famous for its plethora of bean dishes; in fact, Tuscans themselves are sometimes called mangiafagioli, 'bean eaters.'

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried beans (cannellini are usual, but I used white lima beans for this batch), soaked in salted cold water overnight

• 1 bulb of garlic, cut in half horizontally

• 1 sprig of sage

• 1/2 onion

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 8 to 10 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed

• 2 sprigs of sage, leaves picked and finely chopped

•  1 cup tomato sauce

• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes

• freshly ground salt

• freshly ground pepper

Procedure

Drain the soaked beans and place in a pot with the garlic bulb, 1 sprig of sage, and onion. Top up with water and season with a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, approximately 35–45 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Discard the onion, garlic and sage. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat olive oil in an oven-proof dish (I used my enamel cast iron braiser) and gently fry the 8 to 10 garlic cloves and 2 sprigs of sage until soft and aromatic. Do not let them brown.

Once the garlic cloves are softened, stir in the soaked beans. Stir everything gently to coat in the oil, then add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Pour in enough of the reserved bean cooking liquor to cover the beans.

Season with salt and pepper then place the lid on the casserole. Place pot in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes to thicken up the sauce, if needed. Serve hot with thickly sliced sourdough bread.

White Lima Bean Hummus

Though hummus is typically made with garbanzo beans, my younger son has a severe sensitivity to them. But he loves hummus. So I make this delightful dip with whatever beans I happen to have on hand. And, in this case, I made them with the white lima beans from Rancho Gordo.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked beans (I used white lima beans)

• 3 to 5 Tablespoons 30-year White Wine Vinegar (or whatever white wine vinegar you have)

• 1-1/2 Tablespoons tahini

• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 Tablespoons Arbequina Olive Oil plus more for serving (or whatever olive oil you have)

• ground sumac, optional

• Also needed: Food Processor or Blender

• crudités, crackers, etc. for serving

Procedure

Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or into a blender. Pulse and process for 3 to 5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Spoon into a serving bowl or dish. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with sumac.

I used the Christmas lima beans to make...

Kentucky Burgoo

Click here for the recipe.

I also used them in a ham and bean soup. This recipe will be coming soon.

My hope is that you are also inspired to use lima beans in various way. I can say, completely truthfully, that I enjoy lima beans now. Whatever they may be called. I can't wait to make my way through the other writers' recipes!

That's a wrap for my offering this week. The Sunday Funday writers will return next week with a focus on cottage cheese, paneer, and tofu. Stay tuned!