Greek cuisine comprises a rich diversity of cooking styles, ingredients, and flavours. It also has a unique and colourful history dating from antiquity and has incorporated outside elements from Italian, Turkish and French cuisines.

Greek food is any ingenious way of making a simple meal using lots of fresh vegetables, lamb, fish, chicken, Feta cheese, olives, capers, and tomatoes. Herbs and spices generally include oregano, dill, fennel, bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Greek cuisine relies on the tastes of the freshest produce available.

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2 1/2 cups dried lima beans

1/2 cup olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped finely

2 medium carrots, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp tomato puree

1/2 tsp each salt, sugar and pepper

4 cups chicken stock

3 tbsp parsley, chopped

Method

Place the beans in a mixing bowl and pour over 4 cups of cold water. Cover and soak overnight.

In a large saucepan heat the oil and in this saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic until the onions are translucent.

Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, pepper and sugar. Cover and simmer on a medium low flame for about 10 minutes. Add the beans, stock and the water in which the beans were soaked.

Cover and continue to simmer gently for 2 hours longer. Add 1 tbsp of the parsley and cook until the beans are tender (about 45 minutes). Sprinkle over with the remaining parsley and serve hot.