Photo by Michael Phillips
SERVES 4–6
Succotash is a perfect side dish at any Southern meal. This is my family’s Mississippi Delta version. There’s no right or wrong recipe; just start with the basics—lima beans and corn—and tweak as you like. Made with bacon, it’s a meal in itself.
3 slices crispy cooked bacon, crumbled into large pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ Vidalia onion, chopped
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans
1 cup fresh or frozen okra, sliced crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Parsley for garnish
In a medium pan over medium heat, heat oil; add onions and bell peppers, and saute until onions are translucent. Add garlic, and cook an additional minute. Lower heat to medium-low, and add corn and lima beans. Cook until tender, 6–8 minutes. Add okra, and cook another 3–5 minutes. (Add oil, if needed.) Add tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper and cooked bacon pieces. Toss with butter, honey and/or lemon juice, and garnish with parsley.
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