Without the beans, this probably doesn’t qualify as succotash, which is typically characterized as a combination of corn, lima beans and tomatoes. But it was a delicious combo of vegetables from our CSA farm, the farmers’ market and our garden. The corn, first of the season for us, came from the CSA farm. Other than a long forgotten (unsuccessful) experiment some time ago, the farm typically doesn’t produce corn, but this year it has a new location and hence some new crops. The ears were small and plump and the kernels dark yellow. The temptation was to expect old, end-of-season results but no, these were fresh, light and, well, “cornier” than the Silver Queen that has become the local standard.
Saturday was the first picking of okra at the farm and I had beautiful golden zucchini from the farmers’ market (our CSA had a crop failure). With such fresh ingredients, I – queen of the roasted vegetable –decided that the best preparation was steaming. I separately steamed the corn kernels cut from the cobs, the okra cut into dime-sized coins, and diced golden zucchini. Sprinkled with a little olive oil and salt and tossed with lemon basil and tiny cherry tomatoes from my garden, this was sheer summer on the plate and palate.
PROSPECT THE PANTRY 