Ham Hock And Lima Beans - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. pkg. dried lima beans
1 large onion
2 large stalks celery
2 whole peppercorns
pinch of nutmeg
1 or 2 ham hocks (3 1/2 to 4 lb.)
1 tsp. salt
2 large carrots

Preparation

Place lima beans in a large bowl.
After washing beans well, cover with water; let stand overnight.
Save water which lima beans were soaked.
Place lima beans in good size pot; pour half of the water in lima beans and cook over low heat for over 15 minutes in covered pot.
While beans are cooking, cut onion, celery and carrots into dices; add whole peppercorns, salt and nutmeg.
Put into the bean pot.
Let simmer for another 15 minutes.
Wash ham hocks and put into beans; simmer for 1 hour.
Add rest of water that beans were soaked in if necessary.
Do not overseason.
Cook until ham hocks are well done.
Serves 4.