*Photo and content updated December 2012*

Inspiration: Every year for Valentine’s Day, I like to make Brandon and myself a nice supper. This year, I had stuffed pork loin and cauliflower gratin on the menu, and I decided to complete the meal with a lima bean side dish, because they’re definitely a favorite food in our house.

What We Loved: To me, the best thing about lima beans is their texture. They’re just so uniquely and awesomely creamy. Brandon and I both really love them, and they tasted great in this simple preparation. The prosciutto added a nice, salty flavor and a wonderful crispy texture. And with just a few good pats of rich butter and some salt and black pepper for seasoning, these couldn’t be easier to prepare. Sometimes, simple recipes really are the best.

Tips: The only little piece of advice that I want to offer here is to be careful when seasoning with salt. Prosciutto is very salty on its own, so you may need less that you would typically add.

Lima Beans with Prosciutto
Source: 80 Breakfasts

1 cup frozen lima beans
Butter
3-4 slices prosciutto, sliced into thin strips
Kosher salt and black pepper

1. Add the lima beans to a saucepan, and cook according to package instructions. I added water to the pan, steamed the lima beans for approximately 20 minutes, and then drained the water.

2. Meanwhile, melt a pat of butter in a small saute pan. Add the prosciutto slices, and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the lima beans to the pan with the prosciutto. Mix in another good pat of butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper.