# Fresh butter beans



## marmalady (Jul 13, 2005)

Just scored some beauties, both speckled and green - anyone have any TNT recipes to share?


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## luvs (Jul 13, 2005)

we eat our butter beans 2 ways:
we make a soup with the butter beans (but ours aren't fresh; we use canned and add the liquid), cubed ham steak (sometimes a hamhock), hot sauce, onion powder or sliced onion and plenty of black pepper, plus a little ham base and some water. 
otherwise, we just douse them in hot sauce and pepper and have them as a side dish, usually w/ steak or kielbasa.


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## Constance (Jul 13, 2005)

We call the speckled ones calico beans. Just cook them like you would ham and beans, with a ham hock, chopped onion, garlic, salt and pepper. You can substitute Keilbasa or a good smoked sausage for the ham. Serve with cornbread...yummeeee!
I like to use butter beans in my baked beans...also love to cook them with cabbage, onions, garlic and tomatoes in chicken broth for a great low calorie soup. 
I'll bet they'd also be good to use in an Italian "beans and greens" type soup.


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## marmalady (Jul 13, 2005)

Tx, all - I'll have to 'tweek' a little for my vegetarian guys - sigh.  But have found some veggie products that have a nice smokey flavor, so I'll be okay, i think!


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## Constance (Jul 14, 2005)

What kind of vegie products have a smokey flavor, marmalady? I try to keep my lunches under 500 calories, and every little bit will help.


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## marmalady (Jul 14, 2005)

The 'Bacon bits' sprinkles give a nice flavor; I use them in soups and stuff.


Also, 'Ives' or 'Yves' - can't remember which - has a vegetarian 'Canadian bacon' that I swear you can't tell the difference between that and real Canadian bacon!

Or sometimes I just use a dash of 'instant smoke'.


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## IcyMist (Jul 14, 2005)

I absolutely love fresh butter beans cooked with a couple chunks of ham, some onion and with a big slice of cornbread on the side.  Frozen aren't bad either when you can't find fresh, but I honestly detest the canned ones.


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## Constance (Jul 15, 2005)

I even like the canned ones. Sometimes when I cook my lowfat cabbage soup, I put a can of butter beans in for a "meaty" taste. I do always drain and rinse them, though.

I have a little bottle of liquid smoke that I've never opened. I'll have to give the stuff a try. Thanks for the hint.


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## IcyMist (Jul 15, 2005)

Careful how much smoke you add Constance, a little goes a long way.


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## Constance (Jul 16, 2005)

Thanks for the warning, Icy...will do.


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## marmalady (Jul 17, 2005)

Yes, just a teensy 'dash' of the smoke will be enough!


Well, I ended up cooking both batches the same way, then freezing the leftovers - 

Beans/vegetable stock and water to cover, onion, salt/pepper, fresh thyme.

Boy were they good - the baby limas especially were so sweet!  I figured doing them simply would allow me to use them as a base for other things - like those barbequed beans.


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