Serves 8 to 10
• 1 lb. large dried lima beans
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 5 to 6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• ½ to 1 tsp. rosemary, crushed
• 2 cups thick tomato purée
• 3 peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• ⅓ cup dry red wine
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 3 Tbs. minced onion
1. Put the lima beans in a large pot with about 2 quarts of water and some salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the beans until they are tender, but don’t let them get mushy. Drain them and save the broth to use in a soup—it’s delicious.
2. Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet and sauté the garlic and rosemary in it for a few minutes. Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, red wine, salt, lemon juice, sugar, and a generous amount of black pepper. Simmer the sauce, stirring often, for about 15 minutes.
3. Add the drained lima beans and continue simmering, stirring now and then with a wooden spoon, for another 5 to 10 minutes. The sauce should be quite thick.
4. If you want to serve the lima beans hot, stir in the minced onions shortly before serving. If you want to serve them cold, as a salad, allow them to cool before stirring in the minced onions and chilling them for a few hours or overnight—the flavor improves.
