Making Butter Beans Better

With a little help from the Mayans

Lima beans (and beets, and asparagus) are something I loathed in childhood and love in adulthood.

The lima beans of my youth were completely hammered - overcooked, soggy, worn, weary and generally under seasoned. (The beets and asparagus in those days mostly came from a can. No wonder I didn’t like them.)

When I moved further South to Charleston, SC, I was shepherded toward a new appreciation for lima beans — referred to in this region as “butter beans.” Beans in general are one of my favorite foods, a healthy pantry stalwart that is filling, inexpensive, and extremely versatile.

We keep at least 10 cans of Garbanzo Beans on hand at any given time (my favorite), blitzing it into creamy hummus, tossing it into salads, even lacing them throughout a plate of pasta. Moreover, I am still making my way through my Christmas present several years ago - a collection of nearly every dried bean produced by Rancho Gordo. (A great gift for the cook in your life.)

I love fresh butter beans, but I keep bags of frozen on hand for quick, easy sides. Perhaps my favorite is this dish, inspired by the Lima Beans from Louisville’s Mayan Cafe, which are roasted in the pan and tossed with toasted, finely ground pumpkin seeds - a magical touch.

While I don’t know the official recipe, I’ve created my own approximation of the dish - a family favorite - using frozen butter beans.

Mayan-style Butter Beans

Defrost your beans; I run mine in a colander under hot water until fully thawed.

In a small pan, toast pumpkin seeds in olive oil with a pinch of salt; you’ll want continuously move them around the pan with a spatula to prevent them from burning. It should take about 5 minutes.

Once fully toasted, set aside on a paper towel lined plate to cool.

In the meantime, sauté chopped garlic and thinly sliced scallion in olive oil over medium high heat, adding a pinch of salt and a touch of chili flake.

When the scallions begin to soften, toss in your lima beans, stir to incorporate, and add 1/4 cup of water. Stir occasionally until the water has cooked off (it will help soften the beans a bit more). Once ALL the water has cooked off, drizzle in some more olive oil and leave them be - they can fry in the remaining oil to get a bit of color. (For another 5 minutes or so…)

Once the limas are finished:

Blitz the toasted pumpkin seeds in the food processor until they are broken and chunky but not too fine, and toss the beans with the seeds.

Add lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt to taste; stir to combine, and enjoy!