Lima Bean And Fennel Stew Recipes

WHITE BEAN STEW WITH CARROTS, FENNEL AND PEAS

Steps:

• Put beans in a heavy-bottomed pot along with clove-studded onion, bay leaf and rosemary. Add cold water to cover by about 2 inches, cover the pot, and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, with lid ajar. Check beans occasionally and add water as necessary to keep liquid 1 inch above beans.
• After 40 minutes, add 2 teaspoons salt, carefully stirring with a wooden spoon to avoid smashing beans. Continue cooking until beans are tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours total. (Some beans cook more quickly, so begin checking after 1 hour.) Let beans cool in cooking liquid. You may cook beans to this point several hours or up to a day in advance.
• Heat olive oil in a wide deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onions, celery, carrots and fennel, season generously with salt and pepper, then add fennel seed, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook mixture until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; lower heat if necessary to keep vegetables from browning. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, if using yellow carrots, simmer them in a saucepan of well-salted water. When carrots are cooked through but firm, about 5 minutes, remove from water with a slotted spoon and spread on a platter to cool.
• Simmer peas in a saucepan of well-salted water for about 2 minutes. (If you cooked yellow carrots, you can use the same saucepan and water to simmer peas.) Drain and add peas to diced vegetable mixture.
• To assemble dish, return the skillet with the vegetables to the stove over medium high heat. Add drained white beans, reserving the bean cooking liquid. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes, gradually adding enough cooking liquid to keep mixture a bit soupy, 1 cup or so. Taste and adjust for salt. Add cooked yellow carrots, and let them heat through.
• Transfer stew to a deep platter or wide serving bowl. Mix together parsley, mint, lemon zest and chile and sprinkle over the top. Garnish with halved eggs, lightly salted, and drizzle everything with 2 tablespoons tasty extra-virgin olive oil.

LAMB, LIMA BEANS AND POTATO STEW

Steps:

• If using whole onion, chop and saute in very hot oil in nonstick skillet.
• Mince garlic and add to onion.
• Trim and grind lamb.
• Scrub potatoes but do not peel; slice in food processor. If small potatoes are not available, quarter the potatoes before slicing.
• When onions begin to take on color, add the lamb, breaking up to keep from clumping, and the potatoes. Stir well and cook over medium heat until lamb browns.
• Stir in the hot pepper flakes, tomatoes, lima beans and wine; cover and continue to cook until potatoes are done, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

LIMA BEAN AND FENNEL STEW

Steps:

• Pick over and wash lima beans, and soak them in water to cover at least 6 hours or overnight. Drain off the soaking water and place the limas in a large stewpot with fresh water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour. Scrub the potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes in 1/2-inch dice. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Add the potatoes and carrots to the limas. While they are cooking, saute the onion in 1 tablespoon of oil until golden brown. Crush the fennel seed lightly in a mortar and add it along with the thyme, marjoram, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water to the onion. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced a little. Scrape the onion mixture into the bean mixture and return the skillet to the burner. Saute the mushrooms in the remaining tablespoon oil until they turn golden around the edges. Add the mushrooms to the stew, adding more water if necessary to keep the stew from sticking. Add the diced fennel bulb, bay leaf, and tamari, and simmer about 10 minutes or until the fennel bulb is just tender. Add the lemon and serve immediately.

CREAMY WHITE BEAN AND FENNEL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the fennel. Cut it in half lengthwise and slice it crosswise, about 1/4-inch thick (reserve about 1/4 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Add the sliced fennel, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but still retaining a little bite, about 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour 1 can white beans and its liquid into a blender. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil and purée until smooth. Drain and rinse the remaining can of beans and transfer it to the skillet along with the bean purée. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Mix the panko with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly over the fennel-white bean mixture.
• Bake until bubbly and lightly golden on top, about 15 minutes. Broil until topping is browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes, if desired. Top with reserved fennel fronds and serve.