Here’s a secret. Sometimes I crave fabulousness and excitement. I want towering stilettos, preferably patent and pointy and liable to break your feet in three places. I want dresses that look like songs were written for them. I want late nights of dancing. And flashbulbs. And drama. And dishes that take many days and a fairy godmother to make.
Sometimes.
Then there are times when I want simple and straightforward. Tranquil contentment. Good bread with butter and salt. Staying home with newly laundered sheets and a good book. I want flip flops and my pink flats with the rubber sole. And freshly squeezed orange juice. And sensibility. And simple ingredients put together in a simple way.
Which ultimately become fabulous.
When it comes to simple yet fabulous dishes that highlight an ingredient to its utmost best I turn to Molly of Orangette. Look at what she has done to Brussels sprouts (a dish I fell in mad, mad, crazy love with). And chickpeas. And shallots. And mushrooms.
It is to her blog’s welcoming doorstep that I eventually found myself when searching for something to make of the bag of patani (lima beans) I had picked up at the market. I usually have them with bacon or prosciutto, but I was ready for something new. But simple. But fabulous. And I found it.
Greek-Style Patani/Lima Beans
(adapted from Orangette)
- 250 grams fresh patani
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- Sea salt to taste
– Blanch the fresh patani in boiling water for about 5 minute. Drain and peel.
– Combine the peeled patani, water, olive oil, parsley, garlic, and salt in a saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat, and cook, covered but stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 15 minutes.
– Transfer to a serving bowl, and serve, drizzled with more olive oil, if you like.
– Serves 2.
I don’t know how close patani is exactly to lima beans, perhaps they are one and the same…or perhaps siblings grown in different climes thus possessing slightly different traits. In any case, this recipe worked beautifully with patani as I’m sure it did with Molly’s lima beans. I love these beans, so their flavor and texture ringing true and clear in this dish won my heart. That and the unrepentant pungency of the garlic, for which I am also a fan. I’m sure this would be amazing as a side with some delicately prepared fish. Or as Molly (and I) had it with some crusty bread. If you have leftovers I imagine they would do well as a dip or spread – either whizzed in a processor or chunkily smushed with a fork, perhaps with some goat’s cheese or Greek yogurt mixed in.
Simple. Fabulous.
That is a delicious looking dish! Lima beans are fantastic!
Cheers,
Rosa
I totally agree- sometimes extravagant things cannot beat the simple ones. I love this recipe- thanks for making me think of simplicity. It's refreshing!
Oh no Joey, you are feeding my lima bean obsession. I know what I'm making for lunch today!
hey…. remember me? i used to be a big fan of ur blog and then life took over… here I am at a new job in a new country looking for some old and familiar so I remembered ur blog and whaddays know… before I know it im smiling again!!!
this post is great but omigod… a huge congrats about Little C!!!!! Hope she has a beautiful,happy and healthy life. God bless your family!
Hi Rosa! They are aren't they? 🙂
Hi Tokyo Terrace! Yes, sometimes simple is truly best 🙂 You've got to have at least some simple in one's life 🙂
Hi Erin! Haha! Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Ipshi! Of course! Thank you very much for your well wishes and I hope you are doing great also!
I gotta try more beans! Chickpeas are regular at our house, but I want more varieties. 😀 This dish seems to be fabulous.
This looks refreshingly simple – perfect for the onset of summer!
I've been gone over a week and find that I've missed three posts! I've got lots of catching up to do but I just love it – staying home, newly laundered sheets (well, almost), and a good post! Simple and straightforward! 🙂
(Oh goodness, it's that anonymous spam again…)
There's something very fresh and invigorating about fresh beans. And I never knew patani were lima beans — thanks for the tip! I wonder if these would be greek-ier with dill (though I wonder what that would taste like…)
Hi Anh! I love chickpeas too! These ones are really good as well…if you can find fresh even better 🙂
Hi Midge! Yes, perfect for the season! It’s only February but it’s already so hot where I am!
Hi Trissa! Glad you are enjoying the posts! I know, sometimes I stay home and just blog hop with a bowl of something yummy and I am completely content 🙂
Hi Manggy! Ugh. Tell me about it…annoying! Anyways…I love it when I find fresh patani in the market! I learned that from Marketman (patani = lima) 🙂 I’m sure it would also taste good with dill…especially if you turn it into a dip with some yogurt!
I'm all about simplicity these days! I was just telling my mom that I'm not in the mood to make those recipes that require a long list of ingredients and snooping around the grocery store beforehand. But I'll actually make these beans; they look so good and so doable. Thank you!
I love Lima Beans! And with olive oil and garlic it's hard to go wrong. YUM!
I never cared for lima beans as a kid, but maybe I am willing to try again? Looks fabulous!
I LOVE lima beans but never thought of making them greek! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Pippa! You’re very welcome! I am all about simple too these days…with the little one to watch it’s a challenge to gather enough time to make those multi-step recipes! And simple can be oh so good 🙂
Hi Amy! Me too…and this is a great combination!
Hi Redmenace! There are lots of things I wasn’t too fond of when I was a kid that I now love (olives…can you believe??). I think when you prepare things yourself with care and love that you discover a new side to them 🙂
Hi Jennifer! Glad you like the idea…Molly is a constant source of inspiration for me 🙂
They are one and the same 🙂 Must try this recipe.
This looks delicious! Lima beans are a bit hard to find here, but this does sound like something fabulous with fish (or bread ofcourse..)
Hi Bea! Try it! I love patani and grab some whenever I see them fresh in the market 🙂
Hi Junglefrog! I don’t always find them here either so I make sure to grab some when I see them 🙂
A "bahay kubo" vegetable – fun! Left you an award on my blog. Have a look! 😉
I would love to hand my hands on fresh beans. Sometimes the simple things are the best. It's really refreshing.
Hi GT! Yup! I think we all smile a little when we comes across, and use, a "bahay kubo" veggie 🙂 Thanks for the award! Will check it out!
Hi Divina! True true 🙂 I love these fresh patani!
I am refreshed by the way you write about the recipes you cook, and why you do them. It's amazing, really. Because of your blog, I want to start cooking already.
Cheers and more power to your blog 🙂
Hi Teeyah! Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a nice comment! I hope you do get to the kitchen one of these days…it's a fun place to be 🙂