Creamy Butter Beans and Leeks

Butter Beans and Leeks (03) by MeetaK

After a spectacular weekend filled with friends, barbecues, hikes, wild blueberries and a lot of Michael Jackson, we've started the week on a positive note. The past few weeks were overshadowed with a lot of chaos and stress - to move or not to move - was the question of the month.

Things are beginning get sorted and we are re-finding our bearings again. It feels good to be moving on again.

It will take time for us to get over the experience for sure but, as I have often said, it's the gentle net our fiends have spread out below us that is catching our fall. And of course the kitchen always provides me with a hide-away whenever I need to get away from it all.

We often enjoy simple down-to earth meals during the week and my love for legumes always keeps me on the look-out for new recipes. A recipe that caught my eye was one from Jamie Oliver’s - Cook with Jamie. Personally I find it a little treasure book full of interesting and delicious recipes, which are simple to make and are big in taste. This dish is no exception.

Butter Beans and Leeks (04) by MeetaK

I made a a few tiny changes to the recipe. Butter beans have a sweet, buttery taste and are wonderfully tender. Not to be confused with lima beans, as lima beans are green and not as aromatic and tender as butter beans. Together with the delicate and subtle flavor of the leek this dish is just asking to be made in huge quantities.

Meeta Recipe CardBeansLeeks Creamy Butter Beans and Leeks

Printable version of recipe here.

Ingredients

4 leeks, finely sliced
500g frozen or canned butter beans
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
small bunch of thyme, leaves picked
olive oil
butter
200 – 250 ml vegetable stock
a handful of flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
Salt and pepper


Method

  1. In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter, then sauté the leeks together with thyme and garlic on low heat until soft and sweet – approx. 15-20 minutes.

  2. Turn up the heat and add the vegetable stock. Bring to a rolling boil, then add the beans. Make sure that the beans are just covered in the liquid.

  3. Allow to simmer for approx 8-10 minutes until the beans are soft and creamy. Then add parsley, crème fraîche and a good drizzle of olive oil. Season to taste.

Sticky Note Serving Tip

These beans and leeks go with just about anything. Fish lovers will find it perfect to trout, wild salmon or tilapia. Delicately baked chicken is with just a simple seasoning of lemon juice, salt and pepper is a wonderful accompaniment. Or as Jamie serves the beans and leeks with steaks.

 


Verdict

Butter Beans and Leeks (02) by MeetaK

Buttery, creamy and delicately exquisite. A rustic yet very chic dish to complement your main dish. We had it with lightly herb marinated lamb filets – a fantastic, quick and very satisfying meal. There is something lavishly soothing about rustic dishes like this – and always a hit in our family.

This month My Legume Love Affair is being hosted over at Annarasa. It’s the perfect event for all legumes lovers, created by the talented Susan over at The Well Seasoned Cook. My buttery creamy butter beans and leeks are going over their way.

Monthly Mingle MexicanFiesta Monthly Mingle Reminder

It's time for a fiesta and everyone is invited. My gracious guest hostess is the absolutely wonderful Jenny from All Things Edible and I love the theme she picked for this month. Jenny wants us all to come party with her in her Mexican Fiesta.

Deadline is July 13th, so come on over and fiesta with us!

You might like these legumes ideas from WFLH:

BeansAndKale 02 framed Red Coconut Lentils 01a framed Dal-Maa Di Dal 02 framed
Lime Kale with Beans and Dill Creamy Coconut Red Lentils Mum's Creamy Black Dal

 DTtip6 

Daily Tiffin Reading Tip

A World Outside of Mozzarella & Pepperoni written by Tony

 


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

Continue »

28 comments:

  1. That's just the kind of dish I crave! Perrfect for the summertime and so flavorful!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love white beans! This is an awesome side dish.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ooooh, this looks so yummy! Delicious. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love butter beans, me & my kids have it just boiled:-)That is a very pretty bowl.

    ReplyDelete
  5. They look delicious! Simple and yummy..

    ReplyDelete
  6. That is one of my favorite books too! Yours looks just as good as David Loftus captured it :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. wow!!
    That looks so delicious!!
    Grt clicks as usual!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great photos! This looks so delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  9. your pictures are stunning meeta...

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have a lot of Jamie's books lying around for inspiration and I do have the book you're mentioning but I sort of missed this recipe. It looks totally delicious and perfect for summer!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I feel the same way about moving: we get very restless if we stay in one place too long and must move on! But boy oh boy the packing up is killing me!

    Yum!!! Beautiful, creamy butter beans with lamb filets! Perfect, perfect meal!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oooo that bowl looks soo beautiful! Ikea?? :) And the dish also looks equally good!! :) Never tasted the butter beans though :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love butter beans... probably because they remind me of spending time with my grandparents when I was growing up. I don't think we had very many meals that didn't include butter beans from the garden that had been cooked for hours (with a heap of butter). I've never tried them with leeks before, but sounds and looks great, so I'll have to give this a shot.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Creamy comfort food is just what you need during stressful times. Your butter beans look absolutely sensuous!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I LOVE Butter Beans. This recipe would be fantastic as a dip with some pita chips.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So deliciously comforting Meeta! Love the combination!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I absolutely love butter beans! I always have them steamed but your way sounds way more delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've recently become a fan of white beans. This looks delicious.

    j

    ReplyDelete
  19. This looks very delicious. Love your spoons. I regret seeing them in some stores and not buying them when I was in Germany last year.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Such underutilized beans...and that looks smashing with the leeks!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Meeta! Not only are those flavors wonderful, but I'm digging your S&P shakers :D

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh those look wonderful. So simple, yet I am sure so satisfying.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have been wanting to try butter beans and this looks like a nice simple, light and tasty way to do so.

    ReplyDelete
  24. The beans look so light and fresh. It would be the perfect lunch to bring to work.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a simple but amazing sounding recipe, thanks.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta