Also known as butter beans, these are a hearty addition to thick vegetable soups, spiced dishes and veggie burgers.  Their soft, buttery texture makes them perfect for bean mash served hot with garlic and butter or blended with smashed parsnip.

Lima beans are delicious in savoury recipes with Mediterranean, Indian or South American flavours and are great in vegetarian dishes.

How to Use:

Presoak in plenty of cold water for 8 hours, or overnight, before cooking.  Rinse and then boil in fresh water for 60 to 90 mins.   Most of the skins will fall off these beans during soaking or cooking and can be skimmed off, if desired.  Do not add salt while cooking, as this can make outer skins of legumes tough.

Drain and use, or refrigerate for up to two days.  Lima beans can be chilled and added to salads and delicious vegetarian burgers or used hot in hearty soups and are especially good in minestrone.  They are great in curries and spiced dishes.

If cooking in a stew or casserole, preboil them for about 45 mins before letting them finish cooking in the casserole so that they don’t become tough from any salt used.

For a nutritious dip, crush cold cooked beans and mix with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, chilli and herbs.

Leftover spicy beans are a great topper for baked potatoes with grated cheese or sour cream or toss with Mediterranean vegetables as they char grill.

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. See Best Before date.

Images for illustrative purposes only.