Fresh Succotash
If the only succotash you’ve ever had was corn and lima beans, frozen in a bag and drowned in a heavy cream sauce then you have to try this recipe! It’s so easy and quick to put together using fresh corn off the cob. You absolutely don’t want to substitute the fresh corn in this recipe for frozen or canned. The crisp kernels really make this a stand out dish that everyone will love.
I know, I know…nobody loves to take the corn off of the cob. It can be a messy job! I have a trick that makes removing the corn from the cob super simple and neat. Just place the stem of your corn cob into the hole of a bundt pan and then remove the kernels with a sharp knife. The bundt pan catches the kernels with no mess!
To keep this recipe quick and easy I’m using canned butter beans for a creamy consistency and mild flavor, reserving some of the liquid to make a light sauce. Fresh red peppers add gorgeous color along with onion and garlic sauteed in a little butter because well…corn and butter just go together! Adding a little lemon juice to the reserved butter bean liquid really brightens everything up, don’t skip it. Parsley adds more freshness to the flavors and the little kick of cayenne makes this dish perfect! It tastes like summer on a plate!
- 1 (15-ounce) can butter beans, 2 tablespoons liquid reserved, rinsed
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Pinch cayenne pepper or more to taste
- 4 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs or approximately 3 cups
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Stir reserved 2 TBSP of bean liquid and lemon juice together in small bowl and set aside. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add corn and beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn and beans have cooked through, about 4 minutes only. Add the bean liquid mixture and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat, stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Do not substitute frozen or canned corn.
Sweet Potato and Turnip Gratin
If you still haven’t finished up your menu for Thanksgiving or you’re supposed to bring a side and you haven’t decided what to bring yet, this one is perfect! Sweet potatoes are classic Thanksgiving fare but this recipe adds earthy turnips to the mix which is unexpected but oh so good! The addition of Gruyère cheese and white wine elevate it to special occasion status but it’s easy enough to make anytime!
Take care to slice the sweet potatoes and turnips no more than 1/4 inch thick. I tried my mandoline but found the slices were way to thin so I used a sharp knife instead. Be sure to salt and pepper and add flour to each layer. Gently pour over the chicken broth and wine, cover with foil and bake. Add the cheese after the potatoes are tender and brown in the oven, it’s that simple! If you’re feeding more than six you may want to double this recipe and bake it in a 13 x 9 pan. You will definitely want to taste the potatoes to make sure they are tender before adding the cheese. I needed a full hour in the oven to get mine tender.
If you make this, let me know what you thought! Tom taste-tested this for me about a half hour ago…he’s now sleeping! He taste-tested A LOT of it so I think that means he liked it! 🙂
- 1 1/2 pounds turnips (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- Salt and ground pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In an 8-inch square baking dish, arrange a single layer of turnips and sweet potatoes, overlapping slightly.
- Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with one-third of the flour.
- Repeat to make three more layers, sprinkling with salt, pepper, and flour between layers.
- Dot top layer with butter, then slowly pour broth and wine into dish, keeping layers intact.
- Cover with foil and bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to an hour, taste to be sure the potatoes and turnips are tender before adding the cheese.
- Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
- Remove foil and sprinkle cheese over dish.
- Bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Let gratin sit 10 minutes before serving.
