Succotash? Do you say, yes please or eww. I can relate. You either love it or hate it. I went from yuck to yum. I inherited my love of succotash from my dad.
I admit, there are just a few at our Thanksgiving table that let this veggie dish pause at their plate and scoop out a spoonful. Most pass it quickly to the person next to them.
For those few, it continues to appear.
Succotash was a staple Colonial American Fair.
From Hands on History:
Colonists quickly came to depend on corn as a vital staple. When times were hard it was not uncommon to eat some form of corn three times a day – fresh, dried or ground into cornmeal. Lacking most fruits and vegetables during the winter months resourceful women brought variety to meals by using cornmeal to make a wide selection of porridges, breads, puddings, pancakes and pies. Leftover cornmeal porridge was sliced and fried for breakfast. Later Colonists used an old Indian method to create pudding that featured molasses, butter and spices.
Facts about Lima Beans
source
*They are named after the city of Lima, Peru.
*They are also often called butter beans or chad beans.
*The three main varieties are dwarf, small, and large.
*The Lima bean is believed to have originated in either Peru or Guatemala.
*Cultivation of the Lima bean in Peru is believed to have started as far back as 6000 BC.
*The Lima bean was being cultivated in North America by 1301.
*Raw Lima beans contain a cyanide compound and should not be eaten raw. Only those varieties with the lowest cyanide levels are legally allowed to be sold in the United States. Cooking deactivates the cyanide compound.
*One of the most popular North American dishes using Lima beans is succotash, a dish containing primarily of corn and Lima beans. Succotash is particularly popular in the South.
*Large, flat Lima beans are used in Japan to make a sweet bean paste called “shiro-an.”
*Lima beans have a high molybdenum content and may help people with a sensitivity to sulfites since sulfite sensitivity is often due to low levels molybdenum in the body.
Fiber Source
Lima beans, like other legumes, are full of dietary fiber. Just one cup will yield 53 percent of a person’s daily fiber need.
Succotash
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen baby Lima beans
- 2 oz. salt pork (bacon could be used)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- dash pepper
- 2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
- 1/3 cup light cream
- 1 T. flour
DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, combine beans, pork, water, salt, sugar and pepper.
Cover; simmer until beans are almost tender.
Stir in corn. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.
Remove pork. Blend cream slowly into flour. Stir into vegetable mixture.
Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
Serves 6
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I love succotash, but never tried making it. Yours looks amazing and I love the creaminess that yours gives! Definitely trying this one out! I just have one question… your recipe calls for 1/2 water. Is that 1/2 cup of water?
Thank you in advance and thank you for your recipe!
Hi Justine,
Yes, the recipe calls for 1/2 cup water. Thank you so much for bringing this omission to my attention. Succotash is good any time of year but especially in the autumn and for Thanksgiving. I think you will enjoy this easy recipe.
Kindly, Lorraine
Count me in on the succotash. Your picture reminded me of just how much I miss that dish. I grew up with it when both of my grandmas served it often. Makes me want to make it tonight for dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Jeannette
The only beans I like are jelly beans! 🙂
A very blessed Thanksgiving, Lorraine!
I didn't grow up eating succotash, but I think it looks really good. Blessings of Thanksgiving to you and your family.
I have never had succotash before but since I love broad beans I imagine I would love this. I will have to give it a try-thanks for the recipe!
Blessings to you and your family for Thanksgiving. I hope that everyone enjoys this special time to give thanks for our many blessings.
Best wishes
Natasha.
I don't like lima beans but you "almost" make me want to try them again. 🙂 Your dish looks wonderful!
Thank you for such a beautiful and educational post. (Wish you'd give lessons on food photography. I just can't seem to get it right.)
Wishing your family a warm happy Thanksgiving! ~ Love, Sherry
I actually like succotash. I think it's the name that puts you off. Yours looks yummy.
My grandma always made fresh butter beans and corn but only added homemade butter with salt and pepper, She was raised and lived her whole life on a huge farm in NC, so ya, always fresh veggies. I will have to try your recipe, maybe for thanksgiving. Yum. Happy Holidays for you and yours <3 Tink
I can't stand lima beans and so won't touch succotash. It does remind me of a incident that happened when i was very young. My mother served it with dinner one evening and my dad with a rather disgusted tone in his voice asked what it was. The next thing I knew the bowl was flying past his head and crashed on the wall. Needless to say it was never served in our house again…lol
I made one last night with Roasted Brussels, mushrooms, white beans, bacons and parm…I love succotash
Never heard of it but think I will try it…are lima beans the same as out broad bean I wonder? Looks pretty tasty!
I like lima beans but have never had them creamed! These looks good! Hope you're having a nice day!
Yep- NOT high on mu "must have" list, Lorraine!;>) But I love that YOU love it~
Your new header is GORGEOUS! I LOVE it! xo Diana
I was hoping the crop would fail. I have to agree with my kids that Lima Beans taste like cardboard beans.
Not me! This is a favorite of mine and this version looks delicious.
I'm in the EWWWW group 🙂 But my husband loves it! I may even be really nice and make it for him one of these days. My first thought when I saw Succotash wasn't even EWWW, it was Sylvester the Cat cartoon.
I used to NOT like lima beans…actually, I was such a picky eater as a little kid growing up! but as I became a teenager, my tastes changed and to this day, there is very few things that I don't like! (Hm…my hips can confirm that fact.) Thank you for sharing your recipe, and the neat facts! (I've heard of Succotash, but didnt know what "Succotash" actually was. I wonder how the name came to be?)
Blessings & Aloha!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
I like it too! Thanks for your recipe.