Make Ahead

Minted Summer Succotash

by:
June 23, 2011
4.5
2 Ratings
Minted Summer Succotash
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

I started making this salad two summers ago after receiving my first order of Christmas lima beans from Rancho Gordo. I loosely followed a succotash recipe from the Rancho Gordo cookbook and added more vegetables, a big handful of mint, and a sherry vinaigrette. The perfect time to make this salad is in the heart of summer, when the farmer's markets are brimming with sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and green beans. It's a beauty with its rainbow of colors and it travels well for a picnic or potluck. Aside from cooking the limas and blanching the green beans, it requires no stove or oven time -- just my type of dish for the dog days of summer. —EmilyC

Test Kitchen Notes

This is a delicious take on the classic succotash, with goat cheese making a nice creamy addition. The mint sets the dish apart from other succotash recipes, as well. I cannot stop eating it -- cold, room temperature, or warm. Christmas lima beans can be hard to find, but the recipe instructions note that you can use romano beans instead. I will definitely be making this again, with more mint and maybe even add a sprig of dill. —DeannaMarie

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound green beans (both haricot verts or Romano work well), trimmed and snapped in halves or thirds
  • 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar, or more to taste
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
  • 8 ounces dried Christmas lima beans, cooked according to package instructions (regular lima beans can be substituted)
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 ears)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh mint, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Add a generous amount of kosher salt, then the beans. Cook until tender but still slightly crisp in the middle (about 2 to 3 minutes for haricot verts and slightly longer for Romano beans). Transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking and lock in the color. Drain and set aside.
  2. Place vinegar in a small bowl, then gradually whisk in oil.
  3. In a large bowl, combine green beans, Christmas limas, cherry tomatoes, corn, chives, mint, and 3/4 cup goat cheese. Pour dressing over salad, a little at a time, tasting as you go. Toss to coat. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup goat cheese. Serve at room temperature, with lime wedges on the side.
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  • EmilyC
    EmilyC
  • gingerroot
    gingerroot
  • Alex Smith
    Alex Smith
EmilyC

Recipe by: EmilyC

I'm a home cook. I love salads. Two things you'll always find in my refrigerator are lemons and butter, and in my pantry good quality chocolate and the makings for chocolate chip cookies.

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4 Reviews

Alex S.
Alex S. September 2, 2019
Hi, I have a bag of Christmas Limas and can never think think what to do with them. This is a great option! (I bought myself the, hmm, 25 bags of beans as a present to myself. I’d have to check, anyway, I’m down to last last few. Of course, I’ve re-ordered many, many times. Somehow, the Christmas Limas never were used (still good though :)
Thanks for the recipe.
 
EmilyC
EmilyC August 5, 2011
Oops...in Step 3 above, first sentence, it should be 3/4 cup goat cheese (not feta)! I'll correct that mistake once I can edit the recipe next week.
 
gingerroot
gingerroot June 27, 2011
This sounds wonderful, I love all the fresh flavors and textures you have here. We grew Christmas limas two seasons ago and they have such a delicious, nutty flavor. Yum!
 
EmilyC
EmilyC June 27, 2011
Thanks gingerroot! How fun to be able to grow Christmas limas...I've only had dried ones but I'll bet fresh are great.