Spicy Succotash with Edamame

Korean gochujang adds umami to this redo of a Southern classic sweet corn dish.

Spicy Succotash with Edamame

Sweet summer corn. There’s nothing like it. Fresh off the cob in a salad or grilled and slathered with butter, it’s the perfect summer bite. Too bad its season is ending; I love fresh corn.

But I hate lima beans. They are one of the few foods I outright reject. So, when Mom occasionally made traditional succotash during summer as a backyard cookout side dish, I’d always pick out the beans, which essentially left me with a cup of corn kernels.

For decades, succotash remained on my “no thank you” list until chef Edward Lee gave me the inspiration to remake this dish. And it’s so delicious! While chef Lee’s recipe included lima beans (plus black eyed peas), I swapped them for shelled edamame (soybeans that have been picked early). Finally, a version of succotash I could enjoy!

Succotash has a long history that dates to the 17th century. The earliest versions were prepared by Indigenous peoples of today’s New England area. Succotash, in Narragansett, can be translated to mean “broken corn kernels” and consists primarily of sweet corn with shell beans. Over the years, other ingredients were added, including onions, peppers, okra, even salted pork. During the Great Depression, home cooks sometimes cooked succotash as a casserole, adding a light pie crust on top in the form of a pot pie.

Chef Lee brings his Korean roots into classic Southern favorites at his two restaurants, Succotash Prime (Washington, D.C., and National Harbor, Maryland) and 610 Magnolia (Louisville, Kentucky), so it’s not a surprise his recipe for succotash would incorporate gochujang. If you don’t have this Korean red fermented chili paste in your cupboard, harissa (a red chili paste from northwest Africa) could be swapped out. In a pinch, cayenne or jalapeno could be used, too. However, I love that special umami the gochujang brings.

To make a Spicy Succotash with Edamame, which yields six servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 5 ears fresh corn (for 4 cups of kernels)

• 2 tablespoons milk (2-percent or whole)

• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt

• 2 teaspoons gochujang

• 1 garlic clove

• 6 ounces shelled edamame

• ¼ cup diced red peppers

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

This simple recipe can come together in less than 30 minutes (including prep). Here’s how to do it.

How to make Spicy Succotash with Edamame

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter together. Cut the kernels off the cobs. A good hack is to place the cob on top of a bundt and shave the corn into the pan.

When the butter starts to foam, add the corn and saute for about 3 minutes.

Transfer 1 cup of corn into a blender. Add garlic, gochujang, milk, and yogurt. Puree until the mixture resembles a smooth chowder (you want to see some of the corn’s integrity intact).

Add the edamame, red pepper, and pureed corn to the skillet and saute for 3 to 5 additional minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh herbs.

How to store leftover succotash

Keep this succotash in an air-tight container inside your refrigerator for up to a week. Because it has milk and sour cream, I don’t recommend freezing it. Other succotash recipes that do not use dairy can be frozen.

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About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Easy Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins

A simple sweet muffin mix is elevated with grated squash, canned pineapple, and walnuts.

Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins

Mornings can be tough. I envy people who pop out of bed with a smile, lay outfits out the night before so they can be clean and dressed in 20 minutes, and head out the door with a cheerful “have a great day.” I am not that person.

Even after a cup of coffee, I’m not a morning person. However, I recognize the value of breakfast, although preparing something prior to 10 a.m. is out of the question. Here’s where my Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins come into play. I bake a batch of these sunny, tasty, and most importantly, simple muffins at the start of my week. They help make my mornings a bit more palatable.

I also love this recipe because it uses that ubiquitous summer squash, zucchini. In August, zucchini is everywhere. These muffins are perfect when you have those last couple of zucchinis in your refrigerator.

Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins also are wonderful for a grab-and-go breakfast. These muffins have a denser crumb and lend a satisfying chew. Toss one or two with an apple in your bag and you’ll be fueled until lunch time. The sweetness of the pineapple makes these muffins kid-friendly, too, so they’ll work in a lunchbox. Let’s get baking.

To make Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins, the wet ingredients (egg, milk, pineapple, and zucchini) are blended before adding to dry ingredients.

To make a Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins, which yields 16 muffins, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 2 cups Original Bisquick mix

• 2/3 cup milk

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 egg

• ½ cup shredded zucchini

• ½ cup drained pineapple tidbits

• 4 ounces walnut pieces

• (Optional: ¼ cup whey protein powder)

How to make Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line muffin tins with baking cups or spray with non-stick.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, and oil. In a separate bowl, combine baking mix, sugar, pineapple, and zucchini.

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to create batter. Fold in walnuts.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill muffin cups. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Optional: If you want to give the muffins an extra protein punch, add ¼ cup of protein powder (I like Bobs Red Mill whey protein powder) to the dry ingredients. If the batter looks dry, add a few extra tablespoons of milk.

Will these muffins freeze?

These muffins will freeze beautifully. I usually keep them frozen and defrost in the microwave in the morning. If you don’t freeze muffins, store them in an air-tight container in your refrigerator.

Can I use other mix-ins with this recipe?

Absolutely! That’s the benefit of starting with a simple muffin mix. Swap 1 cup of mashed bananas in the recipe. Other pairings might include 1 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries with ½ cup sliced almonds; ¾ cup shredded carrots with 1/3 cup golden raisins; 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries with ½ cup chopped pecans, and 3 additional tablespoons of sugar.

For many families, this is a busy back-to-school month, which makes grab-and-go breakfasts so attractive. Older children away at school also might appreciate a care package with Pineapple Zucchini Morning Muffins tucked in with their favorite teas and other home treats.

BLT Lobster Roll

New England lobster, bacon, summer tomatoes, and a butter bun come together in a delicious twist on a classic American sandwich.

The BLT Lobster Roll

My salute to the United States of Delicious continues this month and features one of my favorite ingredients: lobster.

Who remembers the first time they tasted the King of Crustaceans? I was 16 years old and my parents and I were enjoying dinner at our family’s celebration restaurant, Bevo Mill, the epitome of fine dining on the South Side of St. Louis at the time. For my Sweet 16 dinner, Dad said I could order whatever I wanted, so being the greedy teen I was, I pointed to “Main Lobster…market price” and bless him, he said, “OK, pumpkin.”

Anxiously awaiting my prize, I don’t remember dinner conversation details, but I do remember thinking woo hoo when the waiter brought my platter that held my whole, bright red, freshly steamed lobster. Having no idea whatsoever how to eat the darn thing, the waiter obliged and cracked open the claws, tail, and remaining edible parts.

There I was, plastic bib tied around my neck, droplets of melted butter on the corners of my mouth, completely steeped in seafood heaven, when to my horror a strolling violinist—one of Dad’s musician friends—came to our table and played “Happy Birthday” to me. As a 16-year-old doing her best impression of a Roman at a food orgy, I was mortified and wanted to hide. Dad meant well, but it’s all in the timing, I guess.

Years later, a less traumatizing lobster experience was mine as a travel writer doing a story about Martha’s Vineyard. I’m still waiting to get to Maine, but when I do, you can bet the first thing off the plane will be to find a perfect lobster roll. In the meantime, this BLT Lobster Roll will do just fine, thanks very much. What I like about this recipe is there’s no “mayo versus butter” drama; there’s a little mayo to dress the lobster meat and the toasted, buttery roll is another rich accent.

To make a BLT Lobster Roll, which yields one sandwich, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon

• ¼ pound lobster tail meat

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 brioche bun, halved

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 3 Roma tomato slices

• 1 large leaf butter lettuce

Preparing your lobster roll

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange bacon slices on top. Cook 10-15 minutes, or until desired crispiness.

Prepare lobster tail according to package directions or ask the seafood department to steam it for you. Remove meat from tail. Remove the digestive track/vein from center and rinse the lobster meat before cutting into bite-size pieces. Here’s a good video for more information on breaking down a lobster tail.

In large skillet or griddle over medium heat, warm butter to coat pan.

Place both pieces of bun cut sides down on pan and cook about 30 seconds until golden. Remove buns from pan and set aside.

In bowl, toss chopped lobster meat with mayonnaise and set aside.

Assemble cooked bacon, tomato, lettuce, and lobster mix on toasted bun.

Frozen seafood handling tips

Be sure to thaw a frozen lobster tail before steaming. It’s safest to put it in the refrigerator and thaw 24 hours. If you need the tail meat sooner, run under cold (never hot) running water. Follow the cooking instructions on the seafood packaging. The shell will turn bright red to help indicate when it’s done.

It's believed a restaurant in Milford, Connecticut, popularized lobster rolls in the late 1920s. Lobster shacks soon popped up along the Connecticut coastline, and over the years, New England's sandwich gift to the country continued to gain popularity.

About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

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