Friday, July 29, 2011

Summertime Succotash Salad Recipe


Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry

Lyrics by George Gershwin

It is definitely summertime here in the US. A time when I certainly don’t want to go near a hot stove in the evening. That’s when I look to simple suppers on the porch, sitting under the ceiling fan, a cold drink in hand, waiting for dusk and the fireflies to appear.

This succotash recipe is a breeze to put together. Packed with the bold flavors of cilantro, garlic, and a tiny bit of curry powder, it also provides plenty of crunch from the cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, and fresh corn kernels. Speaking of corn, I feel it’s essential to use fresh corn. Canned or frozen corn just isn’t the same in summertime dishes.    

Succotash is a very versatile dish. It makes a great side dish for grilled chicken or pork. You could add some sautéed chunks of ham and turn it into a main course salad. If you omit the tomatoes, it could be used as a stuffing for tomatoes. Or if you don’t like lima beans, use fava beans, or make it southern with smoky black-eyed peas.

As the song says, “summertime and the livin’ is easy.” It’s time to get out of the kitchen, put your feet up, enjoy life, and stay cool.


Summertime Succotash Salad
Adapted from Sheila Lukins 

3 cups cooked baby lima beans
3 cups fresh corn kernels, blanched
1 cup diced European cucumber
1 cup grape tomato halves
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 scallions with 3” of green tops, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon good curry powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the lima beans, corn, cucumber, tomato halves, red onion and scallions in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Place the vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar with a secure lid and shake well. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss very gently with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Shortly before serving, toss with cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve cold or at room temperature. 8 servings.




48 comments:

  1. A splendid salad! So colorful and beautiful. A healthy dish which looks very appetizing.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. You are right. Salads like this are the basis of my meals these days. My garden is dictating the ingredients so limas are exchanged for green beans. I usually use lime juice in my vinaigrette but will try cider vinegar.
    Somehow I missed your last 3 posts and I'm going to try the prosciutto/plum sandwiches this weekend. I've always had a block against peaches and tomatoes together but your (Meakin's) photos are so inviting I need to try.
    Have a great weekend Sam.

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  3. So refreshing..This is definitely on my to do list...addition of curry sounds interesting.

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  4. This is one of those "why didn't I think of that" recipes. We love succotash but I've always served it hot. Right now, we have nice fresh corn, small crisp cucumbers and, soon, tomatoes. I'll let this cool off a supper for us soon.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  5. Love that song:)

    And the salad is the perfect food for song:)

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  6. That looks and sounds perfect for a hot summer evening.

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  7. Looks like the perfect summertime meal. I am with you on firing up the hot stove in the summer heat.

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  8. Every time I visit here you are serving up a spoonful of summer! What beautiful, cool colors - I feel like I'm relaxing on that porch with you!

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  9. That is THE best looking succotash that I've ever seen. I've never wanted to give a try until now. I must try this!

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  10. As a child, I hated succotash -- could have been the lima beans, could have been the name! But this I will most definitely try! (I'm also trying your peaches and tomatoes for lunch today!)

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  11. This looks delicious, I'd like to serve it with grilled scallops! Thank you for a wonderful summertime recipe!

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  12. Succotash is such a perfect summer salad. I made one a couple weeks ago for my little side blog. It used edamame instead of limas. I love that you've added cukes and tomatoes and that little dash of curry!

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  13. I like the phrase 'suppers on the porch'...it conjures up lovely images in my mind.

    The salad is colorful and the vinaigrette looks tasty. You like curry, don't you? It's an under-used spice in my cabinet. I'll have to think about including in some dishes in the future.

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  14. This is such a refreshing salad Sam. Symmer may have arrived finally so the "living is easy"!

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  15. And you know you would fit right in

    Just naggin

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  16. Sam, your photos are just incredible. It looks like I could just take a fork and dig right into that beautiful salad.

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  17. This looks wonderful as does your last post, I can just see the top of the picture as I comment on this post. Wonderful summer salads.
    I think my NC born honey will enjoy this salad, he is always trying to get this northern girl to eat Lima Beans!

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  18. Beautiful salad Sam, perfect for summertime! It looks so fresh and healthy, and I could dive right in this beautiful photo!

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  19. I love everything about your succotash salad. Perfect summer food!

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  20. I love your salad Sam. Will have to make this for our family gathering over Labor Day. Beautiful pictures.

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  21. I have my own little okra/corn recipe like this that I make and I love it. I've made it two times in the last 10 days now that we're getting fresh veggies. As always, beautiful photos. And thanks to you, I'll be singing that song in my head all day long now... not that that's a bad thing. :)

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  22. What a gorgeous salad! You have me at lima beans...actually I don't remember when I last had some lima beans.

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  23. That beautiful spoonful of succotash looks so appealing, I'd love to have a bite right now, even though I just had breakfast! Lovely shot and another delicious and summery recipe.

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  24. Wow - your succotash salad is glistening with freshness and color. It's beautiful! Not to mention, I love the idea of adding ham to make it a main course.

    Thanks for your sweet comments regarding Ina's Roasted Shrimp Salad. I was actually hoping you would see my post and lend your opinions on the shrimp salad. I know how much you love shrimp and also how well you like Ina's recipes. I'm glad to hear you agreed.

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  25. I copied your Vichyssoise – sounds delicious. I also liked the anecdote about Anthony Bourdain. My cousin in France, the gourmet cook, maiden name is Bourdain as well as the rest of my mother’s family in France – they are all good cooks. I shall also make your prosciutto sandwich with fig preserves. I still have so much fig jams from 2010 and our fig tree is covered so I’ll make some more soon. I wonder if that type of fig preserve mélange would work with other dishes?
    I think I’ll make the Succotash Salad with black-eyed peas. I read this week that cilantro and cumin powder are very good for the brain (memory) I may add some cumin to the salad, what do you think?
    I have a question. Yesterday at Costco I bought a 2 lbs bag of mini red peppers, because they looked so good. I looked at recipes but most of them say to grill the peppers – I don’t have a grill and it is too warm to turn on the oven. Do you have any idea? Maybe a salad, or stir fry with some other veggies? Or anything…

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  26. What a pretty salad, and I bet it tastes just as good as it looks.

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  27. Looks brilliant! I love your summertime evenings. It's almost too darned hot for us to clock much time outside anymore but with a lovely light dish like this it might be easier to dine 'out.' :)

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  28. I think even Sylvester the Cat would love this succotash!

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  29. Sam,
    I love this lyric and the salad looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I want to try it soon.

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  30. Sounds great! I love the pinch of curry powder in the vinaigrette. We had an impromptu take on Salade Nicoise for supper this evening -- too hot for cooking.

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  31. Beautiful salad, Sam. Your wonderful photos make it impossible to resist. This is a perfect summer lunch in my book.

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  32. another great salad from Sams kicthen

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  33. wow i love the look of this will have to try myself!

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  34. Love, Love, Love every single thing in this succotash. It looks amazing and fresh and just delicious. Oh perfect for any time any meal! its great

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  35. This succotash salad sounds excellent, perfect summer ingredients!

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  36. Sam, this is such a vibrant summer salad. l really like it. Yes, this salad says it is summertime. Awesome.

    Velva

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  37. Yum yum!!!! That looks delish!!!! I will have to try it. The zinnias on my blog psot with the stripes are peppermint zinnias....fitting huh!

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  38. Another summer-on-a-plate recipe! Your food photography is the best in all of bloggland. Would you consider doing a tutorial for all of us on how you take picture... or give private lessons. You could photograph dirt on a plate and make everyone what the recipe! But I'm glad you bring fabulous food to ON THE MENU MONDAY!
    xo Yvonne

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  39. You're right Sam, with this beautiful salad, summertime and the living is really, REALLY easy and delicious. So fresh, so clean! Thanks also for sharing last week on Fresh Food Friday. It will be one of the featured posts this week! I'm up in Blowing Rock with my husband for a few days of heat relief and can't get over the 77 degrees vs. the 99 degrees that we left in SC! Just beautiful here!

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  40. Hi Sam,
    Thanks for sharing this great summertime salad!
    Miz Helen

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  41. Oh! A fresh new delectable and delicious summer salad - it's not a variation on anything I've ever done. Love that.

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  42. I was just brainstorming refreshing summer recipes I could make to beat the heat this week, when I stumbled across this lovely recipe. It looks delicious -- thanks for sharing!

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  43. Sam, thanks again for sharing this lovely salad. I wish I could have a bite of all that green flavor going on! I featured your post today on Fresh Food Fridays and boy, does your salad really jump off the computer page! So gorgeous!

    We're back from the NC mountains, yesterday it was 75 degrees. It's 95 here in SC. Oh well, maybe if we win the lottery, we'd consider (that's the magic word) buy a teeny tiny place up there...prices are super outrageously expensive; lots of wealthy people still around these parts!!! LOL!

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  44. I absolutely love succotash. I can't wait to try this ~ what a good idea.

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  45. Oh, I am bookmarking this and making it. Yum!

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  46. Sam, Bizzy the Explorer found this recipe and I am featuring it, tomorrow. Stop by, if you have a moment.

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