Succotash is a very early American recipe combining our native beans and corn, but I only seem to make it in the summer when I can get fresh lima beans and corn locally.  I never think of making it in the winter with frozen vegetables, although I suppose it is probably still pretty good.  Fresh limas are not so easy to come by even in the farmers market.  I don’t know if this is because people don’t buy them or farmers don’t like to grow them.  But I do know that whenever I see them, I snap them up.  I got great ones the other day at the farmers market and although we haven’t had great luck with corn this summer, I bought some ears to make a Sunday supper of succotash topped with sliced grilled (on my stove top grill pan) chicken breast.  What a tasty meal – with a side of sliced heirloom tomatoes and a bowl of pickled beets.  Summer at its best!

¼ cup finely diced slab bacon
¼ cup finely diced sweet onion
2 to 3 cups fresh lima beans
Kernels from 4 large ears fresh corn
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the bacon and onion in a nonstick pan over medium heat.  Add the butter and cook, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes or until the bacon has begun to color and the onions have softened.  Add the lima beans and corn, stirring to blend.  Add the cream, season with salt and pepper, cover,  and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or just until the beans are tender.