Cream of Lima Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup Dried lima beans (Soaked overnight)
• 6 cups Cold water (For cooking beans)
• 0.25 Onion (About 1/4 medium onion, sliced)
• 1 Carrot (Medium carrot, sliced)
• 0.5 cup Heavy cream (Or milk for a lighter soup)
• 4 tablespoons Butter (Divided)
• 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Place the dried lima beans in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak overnight (at least 8 hours).
2. 2Drain the soaked lima beans and transfer them to a large pot. Add 6 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are very soft, about 1 hour.
3. 3Carefully transfer the cooked beans and some of the cooking liquid to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot. For an even smoother texture, pass the pureed soup through a fine-mesh sieve.
4. 4In the same pot (or a clean pot), melt half of the butter (2 tablespoons) over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. 5Remove the vegetables from the pot. Add the remaining butter (2 tablespoons) to the pot and melt. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to create a roux.
6. 6Gradually whisk the pureed lima bean soup into the roux until smooth. Add the sautéed vegetables, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. 7Stir in the heavy cream and heat through. Do not boil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot.