I haven’t thought of succotash in a very long time. I’m no help since my mom’s was store bought frozen succotash with just lima beans and corn (tho I liked it a lot!). Will be interested in responses.

I don't think I've heard the work succotash since my Saturday morning cartoon-watching days LOL!

Sylvester - Sufferin Succotash

I was unaware that "succotash" is an extant food. I, too, thought it was exclusively a cartoon character saying.

You’re not going to also tell me that chugging spinach from the can is a thing, are you?

Nope! I saw a history of Popeye, who started as a strip in the paper: They said that the spinach thing came from a misinterpretation of a study. It was funny though, watching Popeye's big hand squeezing open the can to get even strionger from the spinach. ;)

Succotash is definitely a thing, and always has been, AFAIK. Baby limas are the key. Corn is de rigeur. Anything else is dealer's choice.

It’s definitely a thing. Here are a some versions…maybe.🤷‍♀️ Unlike me, DH can barely look at lima beans.

Succotash - The Kitchn

Succotash - Zakarian

Succotash - Food Network

Well that looks delish. Like a veggie stirfry. I am iffy on okra, but I love lima beans. Nuthin’ sufferin’ about it.

I'm pretty traditional, so sweet corn, shell beans, and often but not always winter squash. Sometimes a pepper if I feel like it. I like to use either corn stock or pull whole shucked cobs out of the freezer to cook in with the beans, then add in the shucked corn and squash later in the cooking. Usually onion, salt, and sage for seasonings, sometimes some sumac.

OK...before I answer I had to know the difference between Succotash & Goulash.

Quote:

Succotash is a North American vegetable dish primarily of corn and lima beans, while goulash is a stew originating from Hungary, made with meat (often beef) and paprika, and can also be an American pasta dish. Succotash is a vegetarian side dish, whereas goulash is typically a main course that can include meat.

I put diced canned tomatoes in both. I've also started putting fresh baby spinach in both. If I have a batch of freshly grown tomatoes...either one is a great flavorful dish, that gets rid of a large quantity of tomatoes that become ripe ALL @ the same time.

“I am iffy on okra…”

Same with me…and green bell pepper.

I love both okra and bell pepper, but have not put them in succotash. I may try tomatoes. Hubby only eats okra breaded and fried. Bell pepper must be masked in Italian or Mexican!

Succotash was originally a late summer vegetable side in the South. Early vegetables were gone and fall vegetables had not matured yet. The tomatoes were hit or miss. Limas and corn were just starting to mature, so you combined them to get enough for everyone. If not quite enough, well, throw in whatever you had, a few okra, a tomato, a small bell pepper or onion????.

i like that, Sherry! Our local native people's staple was acorns, but they also grew the three sisters, from what I've read. I won't put in okra for company, though it's generally available here, nowadays, wheras it used to be highly seasonal and rare. Last night, I wrote on my list peppers (meaning little sweet peppers in bright colors--I won't use hot peppers for company, either, though I think a jalapeño would be good, or even a salsa), and scallions.

Maybe some whole charred cherry tomatos to decorate the edges? If I get around to it? I think controlling the texture of winter squash would be difficult for a large batch. I could see a winter squash sauce, but I think vinaigrette will go over better. Right now, the store has beatiful crooknecks--Perhaps cut the size of corn kernals, they might be a nice texture contrast? And pick up the sauce?

We used to have Ambrosia as a special dish at Christmas. Orange and grapefruit segments with coconut and powdered sugar. It was never available any other time of the year. You can now have all or one anytime you want.

As a Thanksgiving dish, I would definitely include grape or cherry tomatoes in succotash. So many of the typical accompaniments are rich and lack acidity ( except for cranberry sauce). Okra can be a revelation if grilled or roasted rather than stewed.

I always hated summer squash before we knew about roasting vegetables.

Ambrosia- a loaded concept because of the dreaded possibility of… marshmallows

LOL! I was served versions of Ambrosia as a child. I was perplexed. We were surrounded by orange groves, and all other beautiful citrus. I couldn't understand why anyone would do that to such glorious fruit! (I do get it now for where the components were rare, expensive and possibly damaged or otherwise suboptimal.)

Marshmellows are NEVER in Ambrosia!

I remember gma's ambrosia... it had marshmallows in it and shredded carrot. She also had a fondness for layered jello's lol. Also often with some interesting ingredients. Woman was a goddess of baking, but had some ideas about other desserts that were often not awesome. Her neighbor had a canned mixed fruit one that used mayo in it, sigh. It also had marshmallows. It was extra fun around easter when the pastel mini's came out. I stayed away from the stuff till long into adulthood when people with more reasonable tastes was offering it.

"I saw a history of Popeye, who started as a strip in the paper:"

Evidence that I'm utterly exhausted and need to call it a day: I originally read that as Popeye started as a stripper.....

The stuff with the marshmallows in it, we call Five Cup Salad. Real original Ambrosia only has oranges, grapefruit, coconut, and a little powdered sugar.

Southern Living magazine had an article about it several years ago.

According to

Southern Living, the "original" ambrosiais a simple recipe featuring oranges, pineapple, and sweetened coconut, reflecting late 19th-century cookbook versions.

Thanks, Sherry, that sounds much better than the marshmallow/whipped cream version, which actually seems a lot more like dessert than a "fruit salad".

Grandma Powell taught me to cook, she lived with us when I was growing up. She was taught to cook by her stepmom, who was from Kentucky, so many of the dishes and techniques I learned, like fried green tomatoes, were from her stepmom and kind of "southern". She apparently didn't get the ambrosia memo!

Annie