I think I’m coming down with something.  My body’s hot, my brain is cloudy, and I have a certain feeling of existential bewilderment that usually comes before a cold / flu / general feeling of nastiness.  I shake my fist to the universe – “what’s the point of anything?  Why should I cook?  Why wake up early for an audition tomorrow?  Who really cares?!?!”

Then I cook myself some soup, staple my resume to my headshot, and grab my computer.  As Sam the Eagle of the Muppet persuasion says, “It is the American way”.

Now this picture does NOT justify the deliciousness of this soup.  It’s adapted from the recipe Lemon and Lima Bean Soup I got from Bloodroot restaurant in Bridgeport, Connecticut – a vegetarian joint that’s been around since the 70s and serves up some of the most scrumptious, natural food I’ve ever had in a wonderfully women-centric environment.  I tend to use a bit more liquid and seasonings and a dash of something more to get the flavor I want, but their original recipe and cookbooks are highly recommended.

The first time I had this soup I was BLOWN away and ate up two servings of it with gusto.  So I HAD to buy the book, and have often made this soup when feeling a bit run down but wanting something more substantial than my ol’ veggie medley soup.

Have fun with the amount of flavors.  I like to call it Barbecue soup because the combination of tamari and tomato paste tastes like the best part of a bbq to my happy tastebuds.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of baby dry baby lima beans, picked through
• 2 large red onions, sliced thin
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
• 2 Tbsp Marsala wine
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 cup tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil plus more to taste
• 4 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) (optional)
• roasted walnuts (optional)

Directions

• Soak the lima beans overnight or for at least 6 hours.  Drain and rinse thoroughly, then place in a large (preferably cast iron) pot and cover with water at least 3 inches higher than beans.  Add about 2 tsp salt.  Bring up to a boil, low to medium heat and cook until soft, about 2 hours.
• After the beans have been cooking for about an hour, heat oil in a large skillet and cook onions and garlic on low until soft, about 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally.
  
• Season onions with salt and pepper, add Marsala wine.
• When beans are soft, remove about 1/3 into saucepan.
  
• With a hand blender, blend the remaining beans with their broth until smooth.
• Add onion / garlic mix with beans into large pot, add tamari, lemon juice and tomato paste.
• Season with salt and pepper, and olive oil or ghee if desired.  Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Serve with swirls of olive oil and toasted walnuts.

Makes four servings.