Foodie Fridays: Succotash Salad

 

I have always liked succotash, but instead of the usual combination of corn and lima beans, I prefer to use edamame since lima beans can sometimes be too mushy.  Though succotash is usually cooked and served warm, I wanted to put together a cold salad inspired by this dish since it is too hot right now to even think of eating anything warm.  The recipe I came up with does not require any cooking (thaw the frozen vegetables by placing them in a colander and running hot tap water over them until they are no longer frozen, or just leave them out at room temperature until they are thawed).

My biggest complaint about succotash is that it can be rather bland.  To solve that problem I added lemon juice and tajin seasoning - the latter adds a combination of tartness from the lime flavoring, a slight spiciness from the chiles, and also some salt (add more salt if needed to suit your own taste).  The addition of cucumber adds a nice crunchy texture and lightens up the rather dense consistency of succotash (I prefer to use English cucumbers, which are seedless, less bitter than regular cucumbers, and have a thinner rind that does not need to be removed).  I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious my concoction was, and will be adding this recipe to my rotation of summer salads for the extremely hot days we have been experiencing lately.

Succotash Salad

12 oz. frozen shelled edamame, thawed
12 oz. frozen corn, thawed
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 jars (4 oz. each) diced pimentos
4 T. olive oil
4 T. mayonnaise
1-2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. tajin seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the vegetables.  Toss to mix thoroughly and taste to adjust seasonings as needed. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.  Serves 8.