Author Notes
This recipe arose out of my efforts to use meat more as a flavoring than the centerpiece of a meal. It's a classic, hearty farmhouse combination that gets a boost of bright flavor from the parsley-rosemary pistou. I prefer it as a drier stew, but by adding more stock it also works well as a soup. The perfect dish after a long day out in the snow. —gluttonforlife
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Ingredients
- Lima Bean & Ham Stew
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2 cups
dried lima beans
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1
smoked ham hock (or meaty ham end, roughly chopped, about 1 cup)
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1 tablespoon
olive oil
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2
bay leaves
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2
shallots, diced
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2
cloves garlic, minced
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12
black peppercorns
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7
juniper berries
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1 quart
chicken stock
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salt to taste
- Parsley-Rosemary Pistou
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1 cup
flat leaf parsley, densely packed
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1 tablespoon
fresh rosemary, de-stemmed
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1 tablespoon
pine nuts, toasted
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1
clove garlic
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1/2 teaspoon
sea salt
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1/2 teaspoon
lemon zest
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2/3 cup
olive oil
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2 tablespoons
finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
- Lima Bean & Ham Stew
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Soak lima beans overnight in cold water to cover. Or cover with boiling water and soak for 4 hours minimum.
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Drain beans and discard soaking liquid.
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In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil and sautee shallots and garlic until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and stir to coat.
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Pour in stock and bring briefly to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until beans are soft, about 1 hour. (Time may vary depending on your beans.) If you prefer your beans soupier, add more stock as it begins to be absorbed.
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If you used a ham hock, remove it from the pot and slip the meat off the bone. Discard the bone and fat, chop remaining meat into 1/2" pieces and return to the pot.
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Serve beans with a couple of spoonfuls of parsley-rosemary pistou swirled through. (recipe below)
- Parsley-Rosemary Pistou
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Pulse the parsley, rosemary, pinenuts, garlic, salt, zest and oil in a blender or food processor. Leave it a little chunky.
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Stir in the cheese. Pistou should have the consistency of a loose pesto. Can be stored in the fridge for several days.
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