Recipe - Lima Bean And Fennel Stew

1 cup Dried lima beans
Water for soaking, plus
4 cup Water for cooking
3 md Potatoes
2 lg Carrots
1 lg Onion; minced
2 tablespoon Olive oil
One fourth teaspoon Fennel seed
One half teaspoon Thyme
One half teaspoon Marjoram
2 Garlic cloves
finely chopped
2 tablespoon Water
One half cup Dry white wine
4 ounce Mushrooms; thinly cut or sliced up
1 small Bulb fennel; minced
1 Bay leaf
1 tablespoon Tamari
1 tablespoon Lemon juice

Pick over and wash lima beans, and soak them in water to cover at least 6
hours or overnight. Drain off the soaking water and place the limas in a
large stewpot with fresh water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and
simmer gently for 1 hour.

Scrub the potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes in 1/2inch dice. Cut the
carrots in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4inch slices. Add the
potatoes and carrots to the limas. While they are cooking, saute the onion
in 1 tablespoon of oil until golden brown.

Crush the fennel seed lightly in a mortar and add it along with the thyme,
marjoram, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water to the onion. Cook over low
heat for 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the wine and simmer until the
liquid is reduced a little. Scrape the onion mixture into the bean mixture
and return the skillet to the burner. Saute the mushrooms in the remaining
tablespoon oil until they turn golden around the edges. Add the mushrooms
to the stew, adding more water if necessary to keep the stew from sticking.

Add the minced fennel bulb, bay leaf, and tamari, and simmer about 10
minutes or until the fennel bulb is just tender. Add the lemon and serve
immediately.

Source: Jennifer Stein Barker, Canyon City Oregon The Herbal Companion,
October/November 1993 Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini