Add baby lima beans, Fordhook lima beans, butter beans, ham, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1-hour stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-low, crack the lid and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes to reduce the liquid by half.
12 Ounces Frozen Baby Lima Beans, 10 Ounces Frozen Fordhook Lima Beans, 6 Ounces Frozen Butter Beans, 2 Cups Cooked Ham, 4 Cups Chicken Stock, 1 Bay Leaf
Remove the bay leaf, serve in bowls... and enjoy!
Notes
Substitutions & VariationsUse just one type of lima beans. This recipe is also delicious if made with just one type of lima beans. Butter beans are soft and buttery. While Fordhook lima beans are more vegetal in flavor. Go ahead and experiment and try a single variety. You might just like it better.Substitute butter for butter beans. If you really love the smooth flavor of butter beans and can't find any, add 3 tablespoons of butter to the lima beans toward the end of the simmering time. This will give the dish a buttery flavor.Substitute smoked pork chops or bacon for the ham. Simply cut either or both of these into small bite-sized pieces.Make Ahead and StorageThis dish of lima beans and ham is delicious the day you make it and even better the next day. The flavors of braised, stewed, and long-simmered dishes, and sauces are greatly improved when the ingredients have a chance to meld and "marry".Refrigerator - Lima Beans and Ham can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and will keep 2 to 3 days.Freezer - This dish freezes beautifully. Simply pack it into an airtight freezer container and it will keep for 1 to 2 months in a freezer.