by Geraldine Duncann Facebook * Twitter * Patreon
Serves 6 to 8
Succotash has taken numerous forms over the years, some of them delicious and others rather disgusting. To me there is no place for carrots in a good succotash, nor should it be cooked to death. It was originally the creation of the Narraganset a Native American New England tribe. Succotash is a corruption of the Narraganset word “misckquitash,” which means, boiled corn. The original version was corn and butter beans or limas, cooked with native herbs. Sometimes it was seasoned with squirrel or bear fat. My version utilizes a number of new world vegetables. The essence of this dish is that it be fresh, not cooked to death. That is why I cook the various vegetables separately an combine them just before serving.
- 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
- 1/2 each, red, green, orange and golden bell pepper, cut into thin julienne
- 1 teaspoon dry mixed herbs – (Italian seasoning) or equivalent of favorite fresh
- About 2 cups of sliced small zucchini – (cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds)
- 1 cup chicken or beef stock, broth or bouillon – (or commercial) – (vegetarians and vegans use Court Bouillon)
- 1 cup frozen fresh lima or butter beans
- 1 teaspoon Sweet and Hot Brown Mustard
- Dry chili flakes to taste – (optional)
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels, or the equivalent of fresh cut from the cob
- Salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until lightly Caramelized. Add the peppers and herbs and continue to sauté until the peppers are hot through and lightly cooked, about two minutes. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add a bit more oil to the skillet if necessary and lightly sauté the zucchini. It should still have just a wee bit of crunch to it. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with the peppers and onion. Add the stock and lima beans and cook to desired degree of doneness. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside with the other vegetables. Add the mustard and chili flakes to the remaining broth in the skillet and whisk until well blended. Add the corn and cook only until hot through. Return the cooked vegetables to the skillet and tossing gently, cook only until hot through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the chopped parsley. Toss gently and serve.