michelle picker cooks

Who doesn’t like baked beans? Here’s a Greek version with lima beans.

Place 450g (1 lb) of dry lima beans in a large saucepan with 4 times as much water and bring to boil. Simmer for 4 minutes then switch off the heat and allow the beans to soak for 1 hour. After 1 hour, strain the beans and repeat the process, this time simmering until the beans are soft enough to eat but not falling apart. Drain the beans again and set them aside. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Using the same pot, heat some olive oil and fry 1 diced onion until soft and translucent. Add 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme and dried oregano and 4 cloves of finely diced garlic and cook briefly. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, a 425g (15oz) can of chopped tomatoes and ½ a cup of water. Add the lima beans and mix well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and transfer to an oven dish, spreading evenly. Bake uncovered for 1 – 1¼ hours until the top is crusty and browning. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with feta cheese and crusty bread.

*adapted from this recipe