I think it’s happened… An entrée with no meat exists that might satisfy my eternal hunger!! You cannot appreciate a chef fully without knowledge of their cooking, and yet Mr. Bryant Kelly inspired me today solely through his passion and knowledge of sustainable, vegan cooking options. His demo of fresh vegetables got me looking, and I researched some of his signature dishes. His newest book, Vegetable Kingdom, features a most flavorful and savory looking dish: Warm Butter Bean Salad. At first glance, my mind decided “saucy heaven” might best describe this dish. The Butter Beans are a signature part of many Caribbean dishes, such as Haitian rice and oxtail + gravy. The beans are complimented by roasted bell peppers, onions and the whole lot of the colored peppers.
Lima Bean cultivation began in Peru in around 6000 BC. Europeans discovered the beans in Lima, Peru’s capital, and thus they named it ‘lima’ beans’. Because of the long storage time, 16th century Spanish explorers used the bean as nourishment for long voyages These beans were later introduced in Africa and Asia. They reached the United States of America for cultivation in the 19th century.
This bean seems important to me in the context of introducing more black folk to veganism/vegetarian lifestyles. It has been used frequently in our cultural dishes and its richness is a great substitute to meat for protein and simulating fullness in my stomach 🙂 . I look forward to cooking this dish myself with Chef Terry’s inspiration!
Lima Bean History
http://www.agriculturalproductsindia.com/cereals-pulses/cereals-lima-bean.html#:~:text=History%20of%20Lima%20Beans%20The%20cultivation%20of%20lima,throughout%20Central%20America%2C%20South%20America%20and%20the%20Caribbean.
Bryant Terry’s recipes for warm vegan salads
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/aug/15/bryant-terry-warm-vegan-salad-recipes-butter-bean-roast-peppers-courgette-collard-kale-peanut-pesto-dirty-cauliflower-tempeh-porcini