Lima beans are polarizing.
Everyone else is an enthusiastic supporter, because we havetaste.
When cooked correctly, they have a velvety, almost creamy texture and nutty, savory flavor.
Undercooked lima beans, however, are terrible.
Theyre mealy, nearly chalky, and not at all fun to eat.
Lima beans arent flashy.
They dont need bells and whistles (or soup and onions).
When to soak your lima beans
Cooking beans is not hard.
Rinse them, cover them in water, simmer them until they are soft.
That is really the entire process.
Soaking them in water the night before decreases the cooking time (andmaybegas??
They reheat on the stove like a dream.
When to salt your lima beans
This topic is widely debated amongst bean cookers.
I also really likeCamelliabrand lima beans, which have a hearty, buttery flavor and velvety texture.
(Though I personally like mushy lima.)
I also enjoy a bay leaf.
How to cook lima beans
As I mentioned earlier, it is not hard.
If you cant remember when you purchased them, go ahead and soak them overnight.
Want to cook some beans this week, but dont know which day?
Add more water or stock until everything is covered with at least two inches of liquid.
This is especially important with the large limas, which absorb a ton of liquid while cooking.
If youre using plain water or unseasoned stock, add a teaspoon of salt for every pound of beans.
Add hot water if beans start to poke outjust off boiling from a kettle is best.
Simmer until soft and creamy, but not completely mushy.
(I cooked some Christmas limas last nightwithout any pre-soakingand they were done in two hours.)
Once the beans are soft and velvety, serve them.
They dont need much more than fresh pepper, but a little green onion wouldnt be a bad idea.
Heck, you could even try some fried onions.
