Baked Lima Beans

Fassoulia Fourno

From Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

Serve with lightly heated French bread and butter, olives, salad and fruit.

1 cup dried Lima beans picked over and washed
Optionally, use one can of beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion
1 medium carrot
2 large tomatoes finely chopped
1 1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano

Soak the beans overnight in water to cover by 5 inches. Drain and use the liquid for plant water.

Put the beans in a pot with 3 cups of fresh water and bring to the boil. Remove the bean scum that rises to the top. Cover, turn the heat down to low, simmer gently 40-60 mins or until beans are just tender.

Blanch the tomatos and remove the skins.

Meanwhile, put the oil in a large pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the onion has just wilted. Put in the carrot and cook another minute, stirring now and then. Now put in the tomatoes and cook 7-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened. Turn off the heat.

Preheat the oven to 325

When he beans have finished cooking, add them and their cooking liquid to a baking dish with the onion carrot and tomato. If you have used canned beans, discard the liquid from the can and use about 3/4 cup vegetable stock. You may need to add a bit more during the baking. Add the salt, a coating of black pepper, the parsley and oregano. Stir to mix. Put the baking dish into the oven and bake, uncovered for 2 hours. Stir a couple times during baking. Serve hot.