A Food Lover's Plea

I pride myself on the fact that I like to try new and unique things. While this adventurous side of me has been mostly positive, it is not without its disasters. For instance, my first run-in with uni (sea urchin roe) was HORRIFIC to say the least. I have yet to encourage myself to have another go with it.

But I digress, my real intent with this particular blog is to address a culinary foe of mine since childhood. There are few things in this incredible food world that I will not allow myself to try again, and one particular arch nemesis is the infamous Phaseolus lunatus. The lima bean. I could tell you horror stories from my childhood of encountering these kryptonite-colored pods of Satan nestled in what otherwise would have been a wonderful soup made by my grandma.

I was never a child that didn't like vegetables. I admit: I was an anomaly. But the one green beast that stood in my way of my championing vegetation was the lima bean, and to this very day it is one that I simply can't get over. For the sake of explaining my hatred, I will publicize a chain restaurant: PotBelly Sandwich Shop. They have this wonderful spicy vegetable soup that I always get whenever I go there, but they have the audacity to add lima beans! Et tu, Potbelly? The soup is fantastic, but I always eat around the lima beans in the soup because, gosh darnit, I love the soup!!!

This prejudice is causing me to not eat one of my favorite dishes the way it's meant to be eaten, and that, dear food friends, is culinary blasphemy.

So, I will put my faith in you to help me throw my hatred aside. Believe me, I want to like them! I want to be able to taste one with incredible enjoyment, but I can't without your help. Send me your lima bean recipes and I will try them to help put aside my prejudice.

I only ask that you keep in mind a few things while looking for recipes:
1. I would not like to try any more soups with lima beans in it. My disappointment in this particular method is already present.
2. I would like the recipe to be easy. You know my policy about futzing around.
3. I would not like the recipe to hide the lima beans. Remember, the point of this exercise is to help me enjoy their flavor. What's the point if you mask them up?

I definitely appreciate it, because I can't call myself The Culinary Student and loathe food at the same time.

Watch this hilarious video of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen talking to a fan's son about the nutritional benefits of lima beans! You don't have to be a south-sider to like this video. A friend put a link to this in a comment below and I thought it was too hysterical to not add to my blog. Enjoy!

*lima bean photo courtesy of http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com. thank you!