Luscious Lima Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pound dry lima beans
4 cups water
5 carrots, chopped
1 leek, bulb only, chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cubes vegetable bouillon
8 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add dry lima beans, and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow the beans to sit, covered, for 1 to 2 hours to soften. Drain and rinse until water runs clear, discarding bean water.
In a soup pot, saute vegetables in olive oil until onions and celery are translucent. Add lima beans, and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.
In the meantime, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the vegetable bouillon to the boiling water, and stir until dissolved. Add broth to the sauteed vegetables and beans. Add remaining water, and allow soup to simmer over a low flame for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve steaming hot.