Southern Summer Succotash

Ingredients:

• 3 cups shelled fresh lima beans*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped Vidalia onions
• 1 cup diced yellow bell peppers
• 1/4 cup seeded chopped banana peppers
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups chopped green tomatoes
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels

Directions:

1. Place lima beans and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover beans by 1/2 inch. Bring beans and water to boil. Cover pan and reduce heat to simmer. Cook lima beans for 20 minutes or until just tender. Take the lid off of the saucepan and remove the pan from the heat. Set the pan of cooked beans aside.
2. In large nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat, melt butter. Add onions, increase heat to high and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add yellow peppers, banana peppers and garlic. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add green tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium.
3. Add corn, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper. Cook succotash for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Using slotted spoon to drain liquid, add lima beans to corn mixture. Cook succotash for additional minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
4. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

*Frozen lima beans may be substituted. If using frozen beans, skip boiling step. Thaw beans and add to mixture with peppers.