Summer Succotash

Okay, it's hard to get excited about Lima beans. But like many other under appreciated foods (like Brussels sprouts, until recently), you just have to give them a little love. When I made this version of succotash, that's just what I did. Gave them a lot of love.

The last corn of summer is still around, so head out to your local markets and pick some up. You can still make this with frozen corn in the fall and winter, but fresh is so much better! Using a little bit of smoky paprika tricks your senses into believing something was BBQ'd, when in fact it wasn't. So sneaky.

Summer Succotash

1 bag frozen small Lima beans

6 ears sweet corn (shucked and kernals removed)

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tbsp roasted garlic slices

1 tbsp dried shallots

1 tbsp smoky hot paprika + 1 tsp

3 tbsp unsalted butter

s&p

olive oil

for the vinaigrette:

1 lime

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 handful fresh cilantro (rough chop)

s&p

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, add corn kernels, paprika, roasted garlic slices (or fresh garlic), dried shallots (or fresh), s&p, and olive oil. Mix together until the corn is coated. Spread the corn out on a foil lined baking sheet. Pop into the over for about 20 minutes, shuffling the corn around once to ensure nothing burns.

While the corn is baking, heat the butter over medium heat in a saute pan. Add the Lima beans, salt and pepper. Let cook for about 15 minutes, until the skin starts to blister and brown.

Whisk together the vinaigrette in a small bowl. Combine lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, cilantro and s&p. 

When the corn and Lima beans are finished cooking, throw them both into a large mixing bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over both and mix thoroughly. I would add a bit more salt and pepper, and the remaining 1 tsp of paprika at this point, to taste. 

Wait until the mixture has cooled a bit, and add the feta cheese. You don't want it to melt from the heat.