Suzanne Goin initially despised lima beans. Like many, she associated these beans with the dry and chalky variety from her youth, lumping them in the same undesirable category as beets and brussels sprouts. However, surprisingly, these same vegetables would eventually become her favorites. Fresh lima beans, in particular, proved to be an amazing culinary discovery, especially when they're used in a mouthwatering puree accompanying lamb skewers.
Here's Goin's recipe for this palatable revelation.
Your primary ingredients are:
For lamb skewers: fresh rosemary, lamb sirloin, crushed garlic, thyme leaves, black pepper, French feta cheese, a lemon, ground pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and a choice of arugula or dandelion.
As for the salsa verde, you will need: coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped mint, marjoram or oregano leaves, extra-virgin olive oil, a small garlic clove, boneless salt-packed anchovy, salt-packed capers, a lemon, freshly ground pepper.
For lima bean puree, it's: extra-virgin olive oil, a small rosemary sprig, crumbled dried chile de árbol, minced garlic, well-drained fresh lima beans, kosher salt, ground pepper, and a lemon.
Directions to prepare are:
Discard all rosemary leaves from the branches leaving only 2 inches near the top and cut the leafless part at an angle for easier skewing of lamb. The removed rosemary leaves shall be chopped coarsely.
Cut lamb into pieces weighing approximately 2 ounces each and of thickness around 1 to 1.5 inches. Marinate these pieces in chopped rosemary, crushed garlic, thyme and black pepper and refrigerate overnight if possible, or for at least 4 hours.
Prep your grill 30 to 40 minutes before cooking, meanwhile letting the refrigerated lamb reach room temperature.
To prepare salsa, first, blend the herbs into a paste in a mortar, then pound the garlic and anchovy to add to it. Smash the capers gently before adding them and the remaining olive oil for a pinch of pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and season continuously throughout.
Heat oil in a saucepan at moderate heat. Add rosemary and the crumbled chile, introducing the minced garlic when rosemary starts sizzling. Once the garlic has cooked for a minute, add lima beans and salt and let it stew at gentle heat for around 5 to 7 minutes till lima beans are soft but not squishy. Drain beans while saving the oil, discarding the rosemary and chile.
Puree the beans in a food processor while gradually adding the reserved oil, seasoning it with salt, pepper and a lemon squeeze.
Skewer 3 equally thick lamb pieces per rosemary branch and brush them with oil along with salt, before letting them cook on the grill for 3 minutes each side at medium heat, until they acquire an appealing color. Stir feta into the salsa verde, adjusting salt, lemon and pepper to taste, if needed.
Serve hot by arranging warmed lima bean puree on a large platter, topping it with greens and skewers, and spooning the French feta salsa verde over the lamb with extra salsa verde on the side.
