BUTTERBEANS

This was one of my mother favorites. Once in a while I grave it: It a method recipe (nothing is sealed in cement.) Serve over rice or with corn bread for the creation of the perfect protein. (In the scripture this was known as "Pulse" and valued as basic food the the children of Israel. Here are the two methods, on top of stove or crock pot.
1. First choice- Use one-quart fresh or frozen, butter beans. (The amount will depend on the size of your family) Second, most will use the package of dry beans. Do not soak. For a smaller batch; use 1/2 small package of dry butter bean. (These "white" beans are the largest legume on the shelf at your grocery store.) They may not be called “butter” beans. Follow their suggestions for cooking.
2. Flavor; with butter substitute (such as, Butter Buds), or garnish with butter just before served.
3. Flavor water: with ½ Tbs. chicken bouillon, stock. If using cream of chicken soup for your flavor it needs to be added at the end of the cooking. (The south adds in a ham hock or hocks for flavor. (Use just one and freeze the rest for another time.) The are now very expensive...buy on sale and freeze.
4. 1/2 tsp. Salt (Taste) at end of cooking)
5. Water
Crock Pot Method:
Place butter beans, butter substitute, chicken bouillon to the water and cover in a small slow cooker.
Cook on high for 1 ½ hours.
Turn cooker to low and cook for another 2-3 hours or until butter beans are tender. Add a small amount of additional water during cooking, if needed.
Cooked all afternoon, and check to see if they are too firm. I prefer the beans bit more soft with lots of soup.
(If you can get your hands on some fresh, green southern butter beans (not Lima's!) Give this method a try at least once...remember variety...
Top of the stove method: Cook the ham hock until tender and begins to fall off the bone. Take it out and cool it down, separating the meat; adding it back into the pot beans. Also, add back in the bone to give it rich flavor and take out just before serving. Don’t over do the meat...no need to. It will have plenty of flavor with just one hock. The soup looks good with bits of pork floating in the soup. In the Crock method add the hock in with the beans and cook together.
Add the 1/2 package of dry-Lima beans to the broth and cook then add separated meat. (How much meat depends on your family size,) with one glove of garlic and a small chopped onion. Cook all until completely done on medium heat. (As a soup you could add can of chopped tomatoes if desired or tomato soup, but this will not be as buttery flavor.)
Serve with a salad, rice, or corn bread which makes it the "perfect protein." Romain Beans have 17 grams of protein that's enough for the whole day and you will loose weight with all the fiber in legumes. (Freeze - 1/4 cup in Baggies; pop them flat in your freezer; then move when frozen and stack, and eat every day.
*Garnish with a few... Cilantro or fresh cut-chopped parsley.
Comments Are Always Welcomed.....