End Of Summer Succotash
You know you’re a foodie when you’re sure to bring your own cookware and spices–on your vacation. Well, in NJ, it’s just a shame to pass up a chance to enjoy the amazing produce that you can find at any of the plethora of farm stands which boast corn, tomatos and…….lima beans?
Did you know that West Cape May, NJ was the lima bean capital of the world? Well, it used to be-back in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Just beyond the sleepy beachside resort town lay acre after acre of farmland, and many a field grew lima beans for Hanover Foods, Inc.. So proud of the lima bean was West Cape May, that they started an annual lima bean festival back in 1985. Despite its largest lima bean producer’s contract cancellation (and thus the loss of the “lima bean capital of the world” moniker), the folks in West Cape May did not wane in their passion for the lowly lima bean and have continued the unique festival. Today, lima beans are still proudly featured at many of West Cape May’s farm stands.
At Ducky’s farm stand, I spied a bucket of larger-than-life lima beans–still in their pods. I couldn’t resist buying a bunch and taking them back to the condo we were staying at. Back there, I had white corn and bell peppers, along with butter and light cream. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Succotash!
If there is any dish that will get you eating your lima beans, it’s succotash. I mean, come on! There’s cream and butter. How could it be bad?
For this recipe you can use frozen or fresh lima beans. I was fortunate to use the quarter-size farm fresh beans that I picked up at Ducky’s. Hard pressed to extole the gustatory experience of a lima bean, I can tell you that fresh beans are deliciously creamy and faintly earthy. Certainly nothing to wrinkle a nose about!
Succotash
Ingredients
- 2 cups lima beans, fresh or frozen
- Kernals from 2 ears of corn
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup half and half, light cream or heavy cream (go for it!)
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a non-stick pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add lima beans, corn and bell peppers to pan. Stir to coat. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add cream and stir to incorporate. Simmer, covered for an additional 5 minutes. Add remaining butter and adjust seasoning to taste.
This looks lovely! I just made a succotash, but I couldn’t fine the lima beans I seen just a few days before. Maybe I’ll have to try again with the proper ingredients!
We’ve been enjoying the lima beans from the Upper King St market … never knew they were a Jersey specialty!
Oh, good to know! I’ll be picking some up there.
…for Fall, I’d like to use them in Brunswick Stew. I really fell in love with this stew when we lived in Richmond, Va, which has (or had?) a fall Brunswick Stew festival.
Sorry but I found your recipe surprisingly bland. Also, I thought the dairy masked the fresh flavor of the ingredients.
I have asked my wife to tweak the recipe.
I’ll report back.
Thanks Doc. Hmm…let me know what you find. I’m interested to see how I can boost the flavors here.
If lima beans were served this way to me as a kid, I definitely would’ve eaten them :). I would love to include your recipe in our pre-loaded Demy, the first and only digital recipe reader. Please email sophiekiblogger@gmail.com if you’re interested.
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Thanks! Have a great weekend!