Simple Summer Succotash ~ A Recipe

Those beautiful veggies pictured above became a very simple, very satisfying dinner the other night.  I decided to juice the beets instead, but all the rest of it: carrots, summer squash, green beans, onions, and a bouquet of herbs really got along nicely in my trusty cast iron skillet.  Add a bit of healthy fat to help your body absorb all the nutrients these beauts have to offer along with some protein thrown in and you've got yourself a complete meal of summery goodness.  And talk about easy on the ol' grocery budget.  Succotash was popular during the Great Depression for a reason.

Summer Veggie Skillet

Serves 4-6, prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 20 minutes

• sausage of choice (we used Italian sweet chicken sausage), optional
• 6 soft-skinned potatoes (like red or Yukon gold) that are on the smaller side
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 1/2 pound green beans
• 2-4 summer squashes (zucchini, yellow, patty pan...)
• 1 bouquet of herbs (use one or a mixture of thyme, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• pepper to taste
• 3 ounces mascarpone or cream cheese
• 1 cup grated cheese of choice (we used organic raw white cheddar)

1. Brown sausage in a large pan (I used a 10-inch cast iron skillet)
2. Meanwhile, while the sausage is browning (be sure to stir it occasionally), prepare the veggies: peel and dice the onion and carrots.  Snap the ends off the green beans and snap or cut them into thirds.  Cut the potatoes into 6 wedges each and the squash into coins chopped in half.  Mince the garlic.
3. Once the sausage is done browning, add all the veggies to the pan, give it a mix, and place the herb bouquet on the top.  The flavor will infuse into the vegetables.  Place a lid on the pan, set the burner to medium (maybe slightly higher, but not too high), and allow to cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice the mascarpone or cream cheese into tablespoon-sized slices so they will easily melt when stirred into the dish.
4. Turn burner off, remove and compost herb bouquet, and mix in salt, pepper, and sliced mascarpone or cream cheese.
5. Sprinkle grated cheese on top and serve warm.

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I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Real Food Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter.