Most people I talk to about lima beans get a bad expression on their face and a shiver up their spine. And usually say, “Ewww, yuck.” I always ask, “Have you ever had a fresh, just-picked lima bean?” I think most people had a bad experience with canned or frozen limas when they were kids from which, sadly, they never recover. Most lima beans probably ended up folded sneakily in a napkin to hopefully end up unnoticed in the trash.
Call me crazy, but I love lima beans. Not canned ever, maybe frozen, but the fresh ones, if you can find them, are — trust me — delicious. Maybe a little tricky to shell, but so worth the effort. As a matter of fact, the beans that grow in late summer are all pretty great. Recently at the farmers market, I came across Romano or Roma beans. I love these almost as much as lima beans. They are a longish flat, green, bean. You don’t see them very often, so if you do, grab them.
They are simple to cook, no shelling necessary. I just cut them on the diagonal about an inch long. Sauté in a bit of olive oil with some chopped garlic. After they sauté for a few minutes put in a diced fresh tomato, salt and pepper and simmer till just tender. Add a bit of fresh oregano and or fresh basil towards the end of cooking. Yum.
I hope the lima bean haters will try again. But if you can’t go there, at least try a gateway bean like a Roma. You won’t be sorry.
—LUCY
A gateway bean? I have a tough time wrapping my head around that one.
Who doesn’t love fresh Romano beans? And fresh fava beans?
Of course, fresh is the operative word in these sentences. It seems lots of our bad food memories from growing up revolve around vegetables.
Now the only canned veggies I use are artichoke hearts. Stick with the “F” treatment: fresh or frozen.
—LOU