Butter Beans in Cream with Country Ham and Chives

Name: Butter Beans in Cream with Country Ham and Chives
Ingredients: 3 cups fresh shelled butter beans; Salt; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons finely minced country ham; 1 tablespoon very finely snipped chives; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Cookbook

The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great Southern Cooks

Published by Knopf

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

In the South, butter beans are a popular variety of fresh shelled bean— sort of like fresh limas, but in my opinion better! If you can’t get authentic butter beans, baby limas can be used in this delicious preparation. In Southern fashion, the country ham and chives are used as seasonings here, like salt and pepper.

CostInexpensive

Easy

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Kid FriendlyYes

One Pot MealYes

OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get-together

Recipe Courseside dish

Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free

Five Ingredients or LessYes

Mealdinner

Taste and Texturecreamy, rich, savory, smoky

Type of Dishvegetable

Ingredients

3 cups fresh shelled butter beans
Salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely minced country ham
1 tablespoon very finely snipped chives
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Put the butter beans in a large saucepan, and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the pot, and bring to a boil. Skim the surface until clear. Cook, partially covered, at a simmer for 30–40 minutes, until the beans are very tender but not mushy.
Drain the butter beans completely, and return to the saucepan. Add the heavy cream, ham, chives, butter, salt, and pepper, stirring well to blend. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Taste carefully for seasoning, and add more salt if needed. Serve hot.