Butter Beans in Warm Sherry Mayonnaise

A Fancy Side Dish

 Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11

Need a quick side dish for dinner, something 'extra special' for a fancy meal, and all that's in the freezer is a bag of frozen butter beans? Then this recipe is for you.

This recipe is by Elsie Landauer Meyer, a remarkable southern food author who believed cooking is an art rather than drudgery. From her recipes came about 'The Art of Cooking with Spirits' as her use of ingredients almost always included spirits in some form. Reading through the recipes, her style of cooking reminded me much of my mommas way of cooking, that is, using very unorthodox ingredients in common foods. The outcome was always outstanding. Like this recipe. Who would have ever thought to serve butter beans with mayonnaise? And with sherry? Elsie and Momma, that's who.

Enjoy!

Butter Beans in Sherry Mayonnaise

6 to 8 servings

1 -20 oz bag frozen lima beans (fresh is refreshingly nicer)
1 tablespoon minced onion
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup stiff mayonnaise
2 tablespoons medium or cream sherry
good pinch of cayenne

Cover the butter beans with ample water and cook over medium heat along with the onion, salt and pepper until tender. Drain well and place in a serving bowl.

Meanwhile, stir mayonnaise, sherry and cayenne in a double boiler or bowl over boiling water. Stir constantly until sauce is warm. Pour sauce over butter beans, stir and serve.

Note: Stiff mayonnaise is homemade mayo that contains a good amount of oil incorporated into it, the more oil added, the stiffer mayo becomes. You can use any commercial mayo, just make sure it is the real thing, with no sugars.