Sufferin' Succotash!

The fabulous Sher over at What Did You Eat? inspired me to reach both inside my southern roots and outside my southern roots for this one in that when I saw her recipe for Herbed Brown Rice, Corn, and Edamame, it looked so clean and wonderfully fresh tasting, it reminded me of succotash and I realized that I could never remember eating succotash in my whole life. Maybe I have but I don't remember it. I've had all the ingredients separately but I don't remember growing up with mom combining them or having ever done so myself before. Then, after witnessing Sher's week long vegan experiment, which didn't look easy, but it did look noble and her food was beautiful, I decided that along with my new emphasis on cooking healthy around here that I'll be serving up more meatless meals from now on, starting with something similar to that recipe of Sher's.  Actually, I could have made Sher's recipe but I would have had to go to the grocery and that would have required energy, something I didn't have at the time so instead I made up my own little concoction from what I did have on hand.  Next time, I will try yours, Sher, because I'm sold on the concept and so was Gene. He loved it!

Okay, I have to step back and confess yet again.  Partly, my motivation for more meatless meals is a genuine desire for stepping up our eating health now that I'm out of school and have the time to cook again. But partly, and this is the confession, Gene's paying a price for my weird taste vagaries. I go through periods where food repulses me slightly, specifically meat. It's really more of a texture thing than a philosophical vegetarian argument kind of thing.  Some days I just don't like the way beef and poultry chew.  I don't really understand why, I just know I don't like 'em in my mouth because of the texture. Go figure.  Taste is fine so I have no problem with chicken or beef stock or animal protein in general as long as I can't feel it.  Then usually, after a few weeks of that, I wake up one morning and think "Sure could tuck into a nice thick, juicy, pink steak."  (I know. Pity Gene for having to live with the crazy woman.) Again, don't understand it but I've decided not to fight it anymore. Who cares why?  I've decided I'm simply going to start listening to my body more and giving it what it think it needs in the moment, except when it holds me hostage for Krispy Kremes (there is no redeeming health value in Krispy Kremes, sorry to be the one to break it to you, folks) or  maraschino cherries (I'll have to do a post about those someday. The amount of dye in each of them is a mini cancer bomb but I love them anyway.)

Succotash

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Since I just stole this article from Wikipedia perhaps I should make a little plug here.  If you're not already familiar with and using it, try it out.  Great source for all your "HUH?" needs online. The link above takes you directly to the home page.)

Succotash (from the Native American Narraganset language, msikwatash) is a food dish consisting primarily of lima beans and corn (maize), possibly including pieces of cured meat. This method of preparing vegetables became very popular during the Great Depression in the United States. It was sometimes cooked in a casserole form, often with a light pie crust on top as in a traditional pot pie. In some places in the American south any mixture of vegetables prepared with lima beans and topped with lard or butter is called succotash. Succotash is a traditional dish of many Thanksgiving celebrations in Pennsylvania.

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Succotash

1/4	cup diced onions
2/3	cup lima beans
1/2	tablespoon butter
2/3	cup corn, frozen
1/2	red pepper, diced
1	Tbsp bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Boil lima beans in salted water for 5 minutes or until tender.
   Drain well.
2. Melt butter in saute pan over medium low heat.
3. Add onions and pepper.
4. Saute, stirring often for approximately 5 minutes or until softened.
5. Add corn, bacon, and beans and heat through.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I served mine hot over rice I'd steamed in chicken broth pre-seasoned with garlic, topped with a few chopped pistachios for crunch, and fresh parsley. 

Delicious. 

That was my dinner all by itself. Gene ate his as a side to his pork chop but at least he ate it and went back for seconds.  He's coming along at his own pace.

Comments

[sher]

Thank you!!!! That looks wonderful! And a touch of bacon makes everything better. That's something I would love to eat. Lima beans are one of my big favorites.

You know, that texture thing isn't weird. I've heard other people talk about it. For me, it's the fact that beef and chicken get between my teeth and that takes a lot of enjoyment out of eating it. I have to take dental floss with me if I know I'm going to eat it. Seafood doesn't do that at all to me.

[Glenna]

Sher--Oh gawd, we're officially old. I have one spot in my teeth meat does that to too! Good to know I'm not a total freak about the texture. The only other person I'd ever heard say that was a young girl I met once who'd been raised vegan so one day as a teen in a fit of rebellion :-) she tasted a friend's cheeseburger and hated it because of the texture.

[Sean Carter]

Hey thanks for sharing with us.....and for Thanksgiving you can find many more interesting stuffs over at this Thanksgiving Blog at http://thanksgiving4all.blogspot.com. Visit it and find out all the fun and laughter it has to offer.