If we’ve been Friday Friends for very long, you know my love of all beans. One Friday morning, I was shopping at Sam’s when I walked by a pallet of Camellia Large Limas. I stopped in my tracks. Why have I never tried these little creatures? I picked up a bag for the next week’s Friday Night Porch Party. I served mine alongside a pan of Sonia’s Cornbread. My Friday Friends pigged out!
Big Butter Bean Soup with Ham
Ingredients:
1 pound Camellia Large Limas
1 tablespoon bacon fat or butter
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup carrots, diced
1 hambone or ham hock
8 cups chicken broth
1 bay leave
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ teaspoon thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Tony's creole seasoning
2 cups diced ham
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
The night before you plan to serve this dish soak the dried beans all night in a generous pot of water. Drain off the water the next morning. In a large Dutch oven, sauté the onions, celery and carrots in the bacon fat or butter until tender. Add the remaining ingredients (except the diced ham) and the beans to the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer about an hour or until the beans are tender. Add in some water if the mixture becomes too thick. Once the beans are tender, remove the ham hock and add in the diced ham. Simmer about 30 more minutes and adjust the salt and pepper. We love these beans served with Sonia's Cornbread.