Lima Bean Salad with Crostinis
This is an all-time favorite and delicious served as a salad, or as part of a tapas-style meal. Once mixed, it only gets better when placed back in the fridge and eaten the next day. While the large lima beans are hearty to the bite the regular size beans may be substituted.
Wash and soak the lima bean in cold water for 2 hrs. Then place beans in a pot covered with water plus add an additional 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium for 20 minutes. Taste the lima beans to ensure they are tender on the inside, but not mushy.
Drain the water from the beans leaving them in their juices. Set aside and let them cool completely down.
Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Then toss the crostinis in a bowl with 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil with salt and pepper ensuring they are lightly covered on both sides with the oil. Then place the crostinis on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and let cool.
Cut the tomatoes in half and salt lightly, then chop the parsley.
In a mixing bowl place the olive oil and vinegar with salt and pepper and whisk together. Add the lima beans and parsley; mix gently as not to bruise the beans, then add the tomatoes and mix.
To serve, place the crostinis on the bottom of a large serving dish preferably with a deep base. Then arrange the mixed lima beans on top.
Rony Zibara
Editor-In-Chief and the gourmand-gourmet behind Poetry of Food; a food memoir which has been in preparation since he was a child. His earliest memories are in the kitchen with his mother cooking French and Lebanese dishes, and with his South American grandmother making Spanish dishes as the cook prepared a repertoire of salsas and sauces. Having grown up in Beirut and lived between Paris, Toronto and now New York, Rony’s food and travel experiences have always been part of his personal cuisine. An avid storyteller, he believes it’s not about the size of the catch, but about the day. It’s the experience, the setting, the people, and most importantly, the ingredients that turn the meal and the flavors into a memory. While not a professionally trained chef, Rony is a cook by all counts; his life revolves around the culinary joys of food, searching out new ingredients, new recipes, and new cultures. And while he loves the restaurant scene, he is not an obsessed follower. Rony’s food passions lie in the poetry of the everyday meal and not in the pursuit of the absolute ‘best’ or perfect meal. His extensive career in innovating and branding new products and experiences has been a great support and backdrop for his passions in food culture and is evident in the overall design and presentation of this food memoir.