Endless Variations on a Classic Stew

Succotash, a classic North American stew of corn and beans, has its roots in Native American cooking; indeed, the word “succotash” comes from an Indian word for corn. Succotash is also popular in much of Latin America.

The most common version of the dish in the United States is made with lima beans, but succotash is made with dried beans as well, usually kidney beans. Corn is always included, but some older recipes call for hominy, or dried corn. Often milk or cream is added to give the dish a rich texture.

When succotash is served as a side dish, old-fashioned formulas call for cooking salt pork or bacon in it. Sometimes succotash is made into a hearty entree with the addition of beef, venison or chicken. The dish is especially loved in the Midwest, where it is even made as a salad with a tangy dressing.

Latin Americans add their own interpretations of corn and bean stew. A famous Argentine entree combines the corn and beans with peppers, garlic, cumin, meat and potatoes. At a Caribbean restaurant in San Francisco, I enjoyed an unusual succotash made of corn, green onions and Chinese long beans, which were left uncut. It was generously spiced with hot pepper and made a perfect accompaniment for steak.

I especially like Chilean succotash, which embellishes the corn and beans with a third popular Native American element: winter squash or pumpkin. In Chile, the stew is usually made with tomato sauce and fresh cranberry beans. To speed up preparation of this Chilean specialty, I use frozen lima beans, which contribute a green color to the yellow, orange and red stew.

Succotash can be either casual or elegant. When you have time and when fresh beans and corn are in season, you might like to prepare a luxurious rendition from fresh shell beans that you remove from their pods and corn kernels that you cut from the cobs.

But most of the time you’ll prepare a quick version. There are numerous ways to do this. You probably have the makings of succotash in your pantry.

There are dozens of varieties of dried, frozen and canned beans in the market, and you can use any type in succotash. It’s always a good idea to use beans, because they are a superb low-fat, low-cholesterol, high-fiber source of protein. Fresh, frozen or canned corn can also be added ; use the whole kernel rather than cream-style canned corn.

In the produce section you’ll find winter squash in an increasing array of shapes and flavors. My favorite for succotash is butternut squash, but to save time I often use banana squash because it’s available in clean pieces without seeds and its rind is easy to remove. If you have a squash that’s tough to cut, first microwave it for a few minutes, then peel. In some markets you can purchase squash that is already peeled, usually in disposable, microwave-safe trays. These are the fastest of all to use.

You can also find frozen combinations of beans and corn. Recently I prepared a Chilean stew using a package of frozen black beans and corn, which also contained green peppers and celery. I added them to a pot of stewed squash in tomato sauce and had a delicious, colorful, practically effortless vegetable stew in minutes.

CHILEAN SUCCOTASH

1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans (about 2 cups)

1 to 2 tablespoons oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon paprika

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 (1-pound) piece winter squash (such as butternut or banana squash), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (2 to 2 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels

Cayenne pepper

This is great for low-fat meals. You can serve it as a vegetarian entree with brown or white rice or as a partner for chicken or turkey breast. Accompany it with your favorite fresh salsa or bottled hot sauce.

If you already have 2 cups cooked dried white beans, you can substitute them for the lima beans in this recipe. Frozen or ready-soaked black-eyed peas or canned beans also make a quick addition. Substitute 1 (16-ounce) can of beans for the limas. Drain thoroughly before using and add 3/4 cup water instead of bean liquid to stew with the squash.

Cook beans according to package directions until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid.

Heat oil in large saute pan. Add onion and saute over medium heat 5 minutes. Add paprika, then tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir over medium heat 5 minutes or until thickened. Add squash and 3/4 cup reserved bean liquid. Bring to simmer. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes, occasionally stirring gently.

Add corn and cook 5 minutes or until corn and squash are tender. Add beans, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. Cover and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Each of 5 servings contains about:

260 calories; 440 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 4.19 grams fiber.