Recipe: Habas Grandes con Chorizo (Giant Limas with Chorizo)

Today's recipe isn't just a vegetarian recipe, nor just a uniquely delightful one-dish meal that will transport you to the Iberian peninsula. It's something a little different altogether than what I've done before here on my blog, or what I provide in my online class "Luscious, Low-fat, Lightning-Quick Meals."

Have I peaked your curiosity? I purchased a new pressure cooker last summer, and since then, I've been exploring the delights of making meals that would typically take hours--but, thanks to the pressure cooker, can be served up in under two hours. This particular recipe takes about an hour to prepare and cook, and for the majority of that time, the pressure cooker does the work.

In addition to being a quick and easy pressure cooker recipe, it's an excellent addition to any collection of vegetarian recipes, whether you're giving up meat for Lent, aiming for Meatless Mondays, or just want to enjoy the occasional meatless meal. Thanks to the use of giant lima beans, it's also loaded with fiber and phytochemicals. Vegetarian chorizo, thyme, onion, and garlic give this recipe a spicy Spanish flavor that contrasts wonderfully with the creamy, meaty lima beans. As they say in Spain, !Buen provecho!

Habas Grandes con Chorizo (Giant Limas with Chorizo)

Ingredients:

12 ounces vegetarian (soy-based) chorizo
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sherry (cooking sherry is fine)
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound giant lima beans
6 cups water

Directions:

Cook chorizo, onion, sherry, garlic, and thyme in pressure cooker on pressure cooker's SAUTE setting until chorizo is cooked and onions are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and water, and stir to combine. Pressure cook on HIGH setting for 40 minutes.

Cook's Notes: These instructions are based on my pressure cooker's standards (i.e., I used SAUTE, 1 pound beans:6 cups water, 40 minutes on HIGH to cook 1 pound lima beans, etc.). Double-check your pressure cooker directions for safety and to ensure proper cooking.