I don't post a whole lot of recipes because I tend to improvise and not remember the details, but I've managed to remember this one. I made 'em this afternoon and they totally remind me of the lima beans they have at the Melrose Diner in Philly, or at least, how I remember them being as a kid.
Equipment:
3 qt pan w/ tall sides (chef's pan works)
3 qt or larger crock pot
Ingredients:
2lb bag of thawed lima beans (this vegetable works well frozen, but use fresh if you have 'em)
1/3 lb smoked pork shoulder, 1/2" cubed (loin will work too)
2 shallots, peeled, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, smashed or chopped roughly
2 sprigs fresh tarragon
large can (22oz i think) san marzano tomatoes, pureed
good extra virgin olive oil
hot paprika
ground cayenne pepper
salt
pepper
Cooking:
Get the chef's pan nice and hot. Add the smoked pork and drop the heat to about medium. The goal here is to caramelize it a bit, and also render out some of the fat. Maybe about 5 minutes or so, until you start to see some brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add about of olive oil, or about just enough to cover the pork. Drop in the shallots, garlic, and tarragon. Drop the heat even further to med-low. Scrape the bottom of the pot. You want maximum extraction of these flavors. Let this go for about 10 minutes, or until the shallots and garlic are soft and translucent. Don't brown them too much here.
Add the seasoning and spices (salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne) to taste. I don't measure, but I was pretty generous with all of them. Incorporate well. Add the lima beans and mix well, but don't start breaking up the beans. Let it sit for a couple of minutes just to get the lima beans warm.
Transfer all of this to your crock pot, set to high. Add the tomatoes and incorporate. Cover and let it go for about 3 hours on high, or until the lima beans aren't hard in the middle anymore, but the skin is still a bit tough. Uncover and let them go another hour or two until the skins are just starting to pull away, everything is soft, and some of the water has evaporated out. You're looking for the beans to be done just right and sitting in a somewhat substantial sauce, but be careful or you'll have mush sitting in tomato paste fast.
Reseason with salt to taste and serve.
Equipment:
3 qt pan w/ tall sides (chef's pan works)
3 qt or larger crock pot
Ingredients:
2lb bag of thawed lima beans (this vegetable works well frozen, but use fresh if you have 'em)
1/3 lb smoked pork shoulder, 1/2" cubed (loin will work too)
2 shallots, peeled, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, smashed or chopped roughly
2 sprigs fresh tarragon
large can (22oz i think) san marzano tomatoes, pureed
good extra virgin olive oil
hot paprika
ground cayenne pepper
salt
pepper
Cooking:
Get the chef's pan nice and hot. Add the smoked pork and drop the heat to about medium. The goal here is to caramelize it a bit, and also render out some of the fat. Maybe about 5 minutes or so, until you start to see some brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add about of olive oil, or about just enough to cover the pork. Drop in the shallots, garlic, and tarragon. Drop the heat even further to med-low. Scrape the bottom of the pot. You want maximum extraction of these flavors. Let this go for about 10 minutes, or until the shallots and garlic are soft and translucent. Don't brown them too much here.
Add the seasoning and spices (salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne) to taste. I don't measure, but I was pretty generous with all of them. Incorporate well. Add the lima beans and mix well, but don't start breaking up the beans. Let it sit for a couple of minutes just to get the lima beans warm.
Transfer all of this to your crock pot, set to high. Add the tomatoes and incorporate. Cover and let it go for about 3 hours on high, or until the lima beans aren't hard in the middle anymore, but the skin is still a bit tough. Uncover and let them go another hour or two until the skins are just starting to pull away, everything is soft, and some of the water has evaporated out. You're looking for the beans to be done just right and sitting in a somewhat substantial sauce, but be careful or you'll have mush sitting in tomato paste fast.
Reseason with salt to taste and serve.