Farmhouse Delivery: Succotash

lima beans, acorn squash, butter lettuce, cantaloupe, okra, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, pears

The last few bushels I've gotten from Farmhouse Delivery have caused me to just stand and marvel at them for a few moments. I know I've mentioned this before, as have a million other people, but it's hot out there, y'all. It's not just hot, it's freaking crazy-hot. And on top of that there's this small matter of the worst 1-year drought on record. For anyone not having to live through this insanity first hand, these photos offer a small glimpse of what's going on. Farmers and ranchers are being hit hard, for obvious reasons. So when I have opened up that bin to reveal such beautiful produce, I really can't help but just be humbled and outright impressed. Personally I can not fathom how anyone can get anything to grow in these conditions... and when I imagine people actually doing hard work outside in this, I can't help but feel like a complete weenie. I start feeling oppressed just standing next to the car while Curly takes her sweet time climbing into her car seat, stopping to inspect a Pokemon card she found on the floor of the car. I am a certifiable wimp. So here's a sincere shout-out to not just the farmers that are supplying my produce, but all of them across the multi-state area that is being affected by this. Kudos, and I do hope no one is being hit too terribly hard, though I can't imagine how that could be the case.


I put the produce to good use. Nothing wasted, everything very tasty. Here's what I did this time around:

• BLT's

• cantaloupe for snacking

•  tzatziki

• green salads

homemade blue cheese dressing on this one

• pasta with a hot Italian sausage and zucchini sauce

• zucchini bread (adapted from a Barley Swine recipe) 

• roasted okra

This bushel was in the middle of hatch chile season, so there were many meals that combined some roasted chiles purchased from Central Market with the produce from my delivery.

• Roasted Acorn Squash with Hatch Chile Glaze
• pear and chile stuffed pork loin
• yellow squash and green chile casserole
• tomato & cucumber salad with hatch chile vinaigrette and cornbread croutons (adapted from the Homesick Texan)
• Black Bean Taco Salad with Green Chile-Honey Mustard Dressing

And last but not least...

• succotash

Succotash
Adapted from the cookbook Gourmet Today edited by Ruth Reichl

Yield: 4–6 servings

• olive oil
• 1/2 C chopped onion
• 1/2 C chopped banana peppers
• 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
• 2 C lima beans
• 1/2 C cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 C chopped cilantro

1. Place lima beans in a pot and cover with water. Make sure there is about 1" of water above the surface of the beans. Bring a boil and cook for about 15 minutes or until they are tender. Drain.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom.
3. Add onions and peppers and sauté until they are tender. Add corn and sauté until the corn is tender.
4. Add cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and sauté until the cream thickens.
5. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro.