The mixture of corn, lima beans, and tomatoes, stewed in their own juices, is a forgiving dish that can even be made from frozen ingredients in the middle of winter. It is at its best, though, at the end of summer when the ingredients are at their fresh-picked peak. In my version, I substitute African okra for the more traditional lima beans. While it’s one of the African American South’s most typical summer side dishes, its name comes from a traditional mix of corn, beans, and pumpkin called sukquttahash or misickquatash in the Narragansett language of what is now southern New England. —Jessica B. Harris, Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine
Read our interview with Harris about her new cookbook here.
