Garlicky Chipotle Lima Beans with Smoky Seitan
I love lima beans! Mom, are you reading this?!
Lima beans are the only food I can think of that I didn’t like when I was little. My family never had much to do with mushrooms, so I didn’t realize until I was older that my real hatred is mushrooms. I expend so much energy hating mushrooms that I often forget to hate lima beans because although people are always trying to shove mushrooms down the throats of vegetarians like they are some mystical, meaty non-meat product that I must be lusting for, but no one ever tries to make you eat lima beans once you move out of your parents’ house. So the only time I ever remember that I hate lima beans is on Thanksgiving when my mom makes succotash with corn and frozen limas. And honestly, I can eat them that way, I’d just rather not because they are nasty.
I did learn a couple of years ago that I don’t hate large lima beans; it’s only baby limas I don’t like. But then I decided to test this thing out a little more and bought dried baby lima beans. I had no idea what to do with them – honestly the only thing I’ve ever seen a lima bean in is my mom’s succotash – so I did some googling today and found the promising Baby Lima Bean Soup with Chipotle Broth on 101 Cookbooks. Here is my variation; instead of a soup, I made them a lot thicker, as well as I think spicier and garlickier. I also made use of a product that is new to me that was recommended by a commenter: Goya Ham-flavored concentrate. Lucy at Vegan Del Ray recommended it for obtaining that elusive ham flavor in my seitan ham, and when I spied it at Wegmans I decided to check it out. If you can’t find this stuff, try substituting some liquid smoke or vegan “bacon” bits, or smoked paprika, and add some salt.
Garlicky Chipotle Lima Beans
8 oz dried baby lima beans (large limas would probably work fine too)
1-3 dried chipotle peppers (depending on how much heat you like)
1 small or 1/2 large head garlic, cloves removed and peeled but left whole
3 large shallots or 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 packet Goya ham-flavored concentrate
Soak the beans overnight, or speed soak by bring to a boil in 4 cups of water, simmering for two minutes, then removing from heat and letting sit for an hour. Drain. Place the soaked beans, 4 cups fresh water, the chipotles, and the concentrate in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, sauté the shallots or onions in a small amount of oil …
… until beginning to caramelize. (I wouldn’t ordinarily have used such a small skillet – I was breaking in my recently seasoned little skillets and actually did half the shallots in each.)
Add the shallots or onions to the bean pot …
… reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for one to one and a half hours, or until beans are soft.
Meanwhile, I wanted a sort of “meaty” accompaniment to the beans, so I removed some seitan I had frozen from the freezer. To quickly defrost it, I merely sat it on top of the stove while I was seasoning my skillets at 500 degrees. Then I chopped it into bite-sized pieces and made a marinade using 1/2 cup soy sauce, 4 cloves pressed garlic, some fresh pepper, another packet of “ham” concentrate, and a cup of water, which I whisked together in the awesome wide vintage Pyrex bowl I scored for $10 at the antique mall yesterday when skillet shopping because I have the best luck ever:
Then I added the chopped seitan and let it marinate while the limas cooked.
When the limas were about done, I heated my new skillets: again, I’m using very small ones here, one serving in each, when usually I’d use one big skillet, just because I was breaking in my seasoning. I sautéed a chopped scallion and a chopped bell pepper for a minute …
… then added the drained seitan and cooked until it was beginning to brown.
Meanwhile, the lima beans were done:
Then I served it, with some peas because I need green on my plate:
To my immense surprise, this was absolutely delicious! I apparently love lima beans! They just need to be dried, not frozen. And cooked in a smoky, spicy, garlicky wonderfulness! Another note: some say there are two types of people in the world: those who go to great lengths to keep different foods from so much as touching each other on their plates, and those who like to mix all their food together and eat it at once. I’m definitely of the latter variety. And I don’t know why, but the lima beans were very tasty on their own, and the seitan was tasty on its own, but when I combined some lima beans and some seitan on my fork and ate them in one bite, it was a taste sensation! So feel free to try dumping both these dishes into one pot and making a lima-y, seitan-y stew out of them! That’s what I plan to do for lunch tomorrow!
Jes Said,
April 20, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
My boyfriend **loves** lima beans so I’ve been trying to think of a way that he can get his favorite childhood food and I can manage to eat a serving without hating life. I think this might be a good recipe to try! And the Goya stuff is vegetarian??!! Who knew! Every time I see it on the shelf I automatically assume it’s got pig something in it.
Jodye Said,
April 20, 2009 @ 9:45 pm
This looks so extremely delicious! Although I think 3 chipotles may be a bit too much for my sensitive little tastebuds
Mom Said,
April 21, 2009 @ 8:50 am
I don’t understand how you can hate frozen baby lima beans, but not the big ones (Fordhooks). The baby ones are much cuter, but I think the big ones do get mushier with cooking. So maybe you just like mushy lima beans. Maybe you would also like English ‘mushy peas.’
renae Said,
April 21, 2009 @ 10:58 am
Jes, I thought I was weird for liking brussels sprouts as a kid, but your boyfriend is definitely weirder for liking lima beans as a kid. This dish might change your mind though! And yeah, the Goya stuff is surprisingly vegetarian, though I wouldn’t call it particularly natural.
Jodye, just use one chipotle! I actually snipped mine open to let the seeds and more heat escape; if you leave them whole they aren’t too hot at all.
Mom, I should mention I’ve never had a frozen Fordhook, either; they were dried as well. Maybe it’s because I cook the dried beans mushier than the frozen ones. Although I like crisper vegetables, I do like softer beans. I don’t know about mushy peas. I could probably eat them, but I’m not sure if I need to bother.
Ksenia Said,
April 21, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
I have never tried dried lima beans, but fresh they are delicious! Actually, I tasted them for the first time in my life just a few weeks ago. Can you believe that??? Sometimes I realize how much food I didn’t taste yet =)
Do you like 101 cookbooks too? I love Heidi’s recipes: they are always an inspiration for me, he he.
Courtney Said,
April 21, 2009 @ 4:55 pm
I love lima beans (well, the dried ones…I am not a huge fan of frozen) and this looks fabulous! I actually have a packet of that goya seasoning in my cupboard because I noticed it was vegan, but I had no idea what to do with it…you have given me my answer! Thank you!
Courtney
TJF Said,
April 22, 2009 @ 7:17 am
Frozen limas are gross. I think frozen and canned vegetables are responsible for a generation’s aversion to veggies.
Fresh limas are also great, which you can get at the farmer’s market here in North Carolina, I think the fall.
Josiane Said,
April 25, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
I was looking at the dried Lima beans at my food co-op the other day and thought I should buy some and try them. This sounds like the perfect recipe to do so! Next time I’m shopping there, I’m getting some so that I can give your recipe a try. Thank you for sharing it!
poopiebitch Said,
April 27, 2009 @ 1:13 pm
Renae! I have had a crazy few days so I haven’t had a chance to thank you, but THANK YOU for the pans! I have been using them like crazy and they are fantastic. I’ve even dedicated my latest blog post to them (and you!). You are super-awesome-wonderful.
Also, I have always hated lima beans, so now I feel compelled to try this recipe just to see if I will like it too.
Lucy Said,
April 30, 2009 @ 7:03 pm
Renae!!! You found the Goya ham flavoring!! I was going to mail you some too and I don’t even know where you live ..lol. I recommended it for making seitan ham or seitan corned beef. I hope you liked it!!
Scream Said,
March 13, 2013 @ 9:09 pm
Goya ham seasoning saved my vegetables and beans! If anyone is having trouble finding it, check the Mexican food section at your local supermarket.