summery (fake) succotash
First of all, let me state that I am not a big fan of corn on the cob. I love corn products, but I don't normally reach for corn as a staple in my diet...much to my Midwestern in-law's chagrin. However, it just sounded good the other day. Don't ask me why - maybe because I was grocery shopping while hungry or because I wanted some elote (delicious Mexican street corn - it's one of the few ways I'll eat it).
Traditional succotash is corn and lima beans stewed together with tomatoes, bell peppers, and okra - that's a whole lot of shit that I don't like (stewed tomatoes have a weird texture, I hate bell peppers, and okra is only good when it's fried or in gumbo). So I combined corn, zucchini, and fresh garden herbs to make my own version...and this is what I came up with.
Right before popping it into the oven, I decided to add some jalapeños from our plant. They had been on there long enough they started turning red. According to several sites, a red jalapeños packs just as much of a bite as a normal one, but the flavor is sweeter. So I diced a couple (MISTAKE - you should only use one!) up and added them to the dish. The result was spicy but amazingly delicious. Lots of fresh flavors, no dairy, no meat. Just the fresh flavors of summertime eating.
summery (fake) succotash
prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 40 minutes
experience level: easy peasy | specialty: vegetarian, vegan
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2 ears fresh corn
- 1 jalapeño -OR- 1/2 small bell pepper (red or green)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 sprig fresh dill, leaves only
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
Chop the zucchini into 1/2 inch rounds, then quarter them. Place them in a medium bowl and set aside. Next, follow this super nifty corn kernel harvesting hack to carefully remove the corn from the cob. Place in the bowl with the zucchini. Next, cut the pepper, removing the seeds and dicing them into small pieces. Throw in the bowl, add the garlic, and stir together.
Pull the leaves off of the dill sprigs, being careful not to crush them (lest your kitchen smell like pickles) and discarding the stems. Add the dill to the veggies and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of everything and stir until coated.
Transfer the veggies to a small casserole dish misted with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and just start to brown.
