Succotash (national dish)

Succotash is a dish of lima beans and other vegetables sautéed together with butter and fresh herbs. The cuisine of Equatorial Guinea is one that is influenced by both the Spanish and the native tribespeople. This dish is made without meat in Guinea but crumbled bacon can be added for extra flavor.

Ingredients

Fresh lima beans 2 cups

A small yellow onion ½

Medium sweet onion (chopped) 1 (substitute with shallot)

Clove garlic 1

Sprigs fresh thyme 4

Slices bacon 3

Halved cherry tomatoes 2 cups

Fresh corn kernels 3 cups

Red wine vinegar 1 tbsp.

Fresh dill weed (chopped) 1 ½ tbsps.

Chives (chopped) 1 ½ tbsps.

Unsalted butter 2 tbsps.

Water for boiling

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Fill a saucepan with water, heat over medium high heat and bring to a boil.

Add the lima beans, a clove of garlic, half of the yellow onion, and the sprigs of fresh thyme.

Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally for twenty (0:20) minutes until the beans are tender.

Drain the beans but reserve ¾ cup of the cooking liquid.

Remove and discard the thyme, yellow onion and garlic.

Heat a little oil in a skillet and fry the slices of bacon.

Cook the bacon for about seven (0:07) minutes or until crisp.

Remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside on paper towels.

Reserve two tablespoons of the bacon fat and discard the rest.

Sauté the chopped sweet onions in the bacon fat for about five (0:05) minutes.

Add the corn kernels and cook for six (0:06) minutes over medium high heat until the kernels become tender.

Stir in the cherry tomatoes.

Add the cooked lima beans and reserved cooking liquid.

Cook for five (0:05) minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the butter, chives, dill and red wine vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper.

Chop the cooked bacon and sprinkle over the succotash.

Serve warm.