Where would I find fresh lima beans?

Do they even sell them? You must understand, I have avoided them with a passion for most of my life. However, I have belatedly come to the realization that, with a good recipe and properly cooked, they might actually be enjoyable. I have some new recipes I'd like to try and they call for fresh, not canned. How hard are they to find? (I should note that I am in Andersonville and the farther the source, the less likely I'll be able to get there in any reasonable period of time. Not to discourage far locations, but they'll be more help to others similarly inclined than they will for me.)

I don't know if I've ever seen fresh lima beans, but fresh fava beans (which I've seen in several grocers, specifically Pete's Market on 47th and Pulaski) should substitute pretty well if fresh limas are hard to find.

A few years ago (late summer, mind you) I bought shelled fresh limas in a plastic-wrapped foam tray at Jewel.

They were awful: relatively dry and mealy, with a salty, chemical taste. I don't recall what additives were used to "preserve freshness" but it reminded me of salt substitute.

I hope your mileage will vary.

Binko wrote:I don't know if I've ever seen fresh lima beans, but fresh fava beans...should substitute pretty well if fresh limas are hard to find.

You're right. But I'd like to accomplish this before I turn old(er) and gray(er). I love fava beans but the time and labor involved in simply getting them ready is more than I'm willing to undertake. Maybe canned will work--especially in light of JoelF's comments. Thanks for the responses.

JoelF wrote:A few years ago (late summer, mind you) I bought shelled fresh limas in a plastic-wrapped foam tray at Jewel.

They were awful: relatively dry and mealy, with a salty, chemical taste. I don't recall what additives were used to "preserve freshness" but it reminded me of salt substitute.

I hope your mileage will vary.

I had the same experience with the last plastic-wrapped variety I bought. Not that I have a heckuva lot of experience with limas, but my tendency would be to get "fresh frozen."

I'm with Mr. Hammond -- go for frozen over canned. Much less mush involved. Frozen you'll likely get closer to al dente.

Unlike several on the "Can't Stand" thread, I like limas. I even planted them some years back, but my yield was very low. (Varmints like bean plants too much).

Frozen. Of course. How silly of me to overlook that. And so I will. Thanks, all, for the prompt and useful responses. If this all works out as planned, I'll even report back on my (hoped-for) successes!

I know you've already decided on frozen, so I just want to second (or third!) that choice I buy them all the time and am quite happy with them, especially the baby limas, and extra-specially the organic ones. Very soft and sweet!

Gypsy Boy,

Although the quality of frozen limas is good, they don't come close to the quality of fresh. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until late July or August to experience fresh limas. They aren't cheap, and typically sell for several bucks a pound with a yield of 3-4 oz. per lb.

I look forward to them every summer, and once limas are in season, I can often be found in front of the television, shucking away. Succotash with fresh corn, limas and tomatoes is hard to beat. I also enjoy the simplicity of limas stewed down in butter as well as the savory goodness of adding some Burger's jowl bacon to the pot.

Nichols and several other stands at the Federal Plaza farmer's market have them. Hopefully you'll be able to get to a farm stand and experience the fresh lima bean this summer. And let us know how you enjoy them.

i've had really good experience with the platic wrapped packages at Oakton market (which maybe frozen but seem to be fresh) especially in using them in a recipe from one Annissa Helou's books, - fairly simple with parsley cilantro and a little bit of cinnamon.

Wow! More leads. Thanks, all. But to ER, a question: must fresh limas be shelled like favas? Otherwise, I don't understand how the "yield" could be so low? What don't I appreciate here? (And, as long as I'm posing more questions, given that I need the limas for next weekend, are frozen the best alternative--unless I can get to Oakton and follow up on zim's recommendation.)

[quote="Gypsy Boy"] But to ER, a question: must fresh limas be shelled like favas? Otherwise, I don't understand how the "yield" could be so low? quote]

Gypsy,

Although you shuck a fresh lima bean just like a fava, the limas dont need to be blanched and peeled. The yield is very low because the discarded outer pods make up a huge part (60-70-75% ??) of the total purchased weight.

David Hammond wrote:

JoelF wrote:A few years ago (late summer, mind you) I bought shelled fresh limas in a plastic-wrapped foam tray at Jewel.

They were awful: relatively dry and mealy, with a salty, chemical taste. I don't recall what additives were used to "preserve freshness" but it reminded me of salt substitute.

I hope your mileage will vary.

I had the same experience with the last plastic-wrapped variety I bought. Not that I have a heckuva lot of experience with limas, but my tendency would be to get "fresh frozen."

There may well be other brands but the ones I've seen are simply rehydrated dried beans. Actually they're a bit more than that. If you read the small print on the underside of the tray you'll find they include various salts, preservatives and artificial colors. Clever of them to put them in the fresh vegetable section, isn't it?

I love home-grown beans, of any and all sorts. They're difficult in KC bcz it's so hot in the Summer. So, basically, we get a late Spring crop, and a Fall crop, that's all. Pole beans, esp. Italianate such as Roma/Romano are my favorite.

Several times I've done limas. Picked, shelled, and cooked instantly, they are simply a marvel, there's no other word for it. Thoroughly flavorful, wonderful texture, they surpass most any other fresh bean experience.

But, as noted, they are horribly inefficient. Their leaf to crop ratio is high, and their inedible pod to edible bean ratio is also high. So it takes a lot of space to get a dinner's worth of limas. In my new place I just don't have to room to spare. They're an unaffordable luxury.

BTW, they're nowhere near as temperature sensitive as other beans. My crops peaked in August!

Frozen are a poor second, yet, they still have some attraction.

If you can get someone else to grow them, and get them fresh, you'll not be sorry for giving them a whirl. Butter, a smidge of soy sauce, and you're rockin'!

Geo

If you do find them, I highly recommend this preparation favored by Chef Philip bardin of the Old Post Office Restaurant on Edisto Isalnd, SC. Chef bardin was the originator of the ever popular staple of "southern" restaurantsm, shrimp sauteed and served over a moound of slow cooked grits made with milk heavy cream and stock. The dish is a staple on nearly every restaurant serving low country cuisine these days. Chef Bardin serves the shrimp and grits with great fresh limas, known in the deep south as butter beans, cooked this way:

3 quarts chicken stock
1 smoked ham hock
1 medium onion diced
2 pounds fresh butter beans

In a large pot, bring the stock, ham hock and onion to a boil. Add the butter beans, simmering for 30 minutes.

They are delicious and simple.

if you're ever in Charleston, the Old Post Office is definitely worth the 45 minute drive for a great dinner.

Gypsy,

I just picked up four pounds of fresh limas at the Federal Plaza market. I saw them at several different booths.