Summer Succotash Salad

This recipe is a very loose adaptation from one of my favorite cookbooks, Sunday Suppers at Lucques. It’s an excellent thing to bring to a picnic or a cookout, as it holds up well if made in advance. It will still be good the next day too, and will work as an excellent side dish to cold fried chicken! This was my lunch today, actually, with the most amazing fried chicken brought home from our dinner last night at Brooklyn tiki-ish kind-of dive bar The Commodore. Ooh, I really recommend this place. We had a plate of fried chicken and biscuits, incredible nachos, and the Commodore’s signature cocktail, a frozen piña colada with an Amaretto float. Here is the fabulous chicken:

It was a little dark in there, but you get the idea. So good! We went to the Commodore on our way home from a performance I was doing in Manhattan with my experimental art song duo The Beige with guitarist Aaron Quinn. I haven’t been singing as much recently, so it was nice to try out a few new tunes and showcase the old ones.

I can’t believe that we are already halfway through July already—what is happening?!? I think we’re going to try grilling in the park again this week before the summer slips away from us. Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Summer Succotash Salad

• 6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 scallions, finely chopped (reserve 1/4 cup of the green parts)
• 2 medium zucchini, diced (about 3 cups)
• 2 ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup cooked lima beans
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• a few good handfuls watercress and arugula, to serve (optional)

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped scallions (reserving 1/4 cup of the green tops to use later) and sautee, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and remove vegetables from pan and spread on a large plate or baking sheet to cool.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, add the corn, and cook, stirring, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and remove the corn from the pan and spread on a large plate of baking sheet to cool.
3. Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the reserved scallions. Stir vigorously until emulsified and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the tomatoes to a large bowl and season with salt. Add the cooked vegetables, the lima beans, mint, basil, and remaining scallions. Add about half of the vinaigrette, toss, and taste. Add more vinaigrette if the salad needs it. Optional: toss the remaining vinaigrette with and few handfuls watercress and arugula and serve the salad on this bed of greens.