CORN, TOMATO AND LIMA BEAN STEW

This is also from Jack Bishop’s “A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen”. I added the pancetta (just was on a bean and bacon kick with the cooler weather, but I’m sure it’d be good without it). I also used stock, where he used half-n-half and used more of it. There’s a lady on the Westside of the Virginia Park Saturday Santa Monica market, and on the north end of the Mar Vista market that has really nice fresh beans of all sorts. It’s a bit late for corn, but its still at the market, and I figured this would be a good use for it even if it wasn’t super sweet.

1 lb. (1.5 cups) fresh shelled lima beans
6 oz. pancetta, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 14.5 can diced tomatoes (fire roasted are nice)
1 – 2 cups stock (chicken or veg)
1 ear corn, husked, silked, kernels cut off
salt and pepper

Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add the lima beans and simmer until almost tender (he said 15, but mine took 45 so give yourself plenty of time!). Drain and set aside.

In a deep sauté pan or dutch oven, cook the pancetta in the olive oil over medium high until browned. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat until wilted and golden, 4 – 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add tomatoes, stock, beans and corn and simmer until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.