Succotash With Sausage and Shrimp

Succotash embodies the proverb “If it grows together, it goes together.” This dish is a celebration of summer: fresh corn, ripe tomatoes and shelled butter beans (also known as lima beans.) Succotash has earned its place of pride in regions across the U.S. — the Midwest, the Eastern Seaboard, and perhaps most notably, the South. This succotash is Cajun-style and a worthy entree, thanks to spicy Andouille sausage and seasoned shrimp. But feel free to leave them out for a satisfying meatless option. The Andouille sausage adds kick, so if you use regular sausage or eliminate it altogether, you can add some heat with ground cayenne and hot sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 ½

  cups/1 pound fresh (shelled) or frozen butter beans or baby lima beans

• 2

  teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 3

  cups/12 ounces fresh or frozen okra, tops and tails trimmed, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

• 1

  tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter

• 6

  ounces Andouille sausage, diced

• 1

  large yellow onion, diced

• ½

  large green bell pepper, diced

• 4

  garlic cloves, minced

• 5

  medium ears corn, kernels sliced off (about 3 1/2 cups)

• 2

  large ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

• ¾

  teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed

• 1

  pound shrimp (any size), peeled and deveined

• ½

  packed cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, add the butter beans and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the beans are al dente, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, strain, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
2. While the butter beans are cooking, prepare the okra: Spread the okra in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Roast the okra for 16 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add the Andouille sausage and cook until it’s crisp and the fat has rendered. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the rendered fat in the skillet or Dutch oven, and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the corn, tomatoes, lima beans, okra, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and Andouille sausage. Stir, cover, and cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat.
6. As vegetables cook, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then generously season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
7. In a separate large (12-inch) skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high. Once the oil is shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until pink and cooked through. Stir the cooked shrimp into the succotash.
8. Add the fresh basil and stir. Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Turn off heat and let sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve warm.