Farmer’s Market Succotash

[Prepared and recorded July 15, 2010. Dish enabled by tiny, tender okra, sweet, juicy summer tomatoes, baby limas (butter beans), and sweet corn available from local farms. All perfect and cheap at the State Farmer’s Market in SE Raleigh. A long haul from Durham, but worth it. Laura loves the green eggs.]

3 T country ham, finely diced
2 T dry onion flakes
3 T low-fat tub margarine
Frank’s hot sauce
1 pt fresh butter beans
1 pt baby okra, cut into small pieces
1 pt ripe tomato pieces
1 cup freshly cut corn
2 T butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak, pick over, and drain the beans. Bring 2 cups of water, the margarine, dried onion flakes, ham, a 1/2 t of salt, and 2 t of hot sauce to a boil in a large saucepan, and cook for 5 minutes to form a broth. Add the beans, return to a boil, stir, cover, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and okra. Mix and cook covered another 20 minutes. Add the corn, mix, and cook another 15 minutes. Stir in butter, correct seasoning and serve as a side dish in a country meal.