When most people hear, "We're having succotash with dinner", they don't get too excited, and feel they have to suffer through that part of the meal. I DO get excited. Now that it's March, and my color-themed OCD has been set to 'green', I couldn't WAIT to make this green-themed side. It went with our oh-so-succulent sage and brown butter cod. So we had succulent and succotash. And it. was. WONDERFUL. It was RICH. It was ER'THANG.

SUFFERING SUCCOTASH

extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove elephant garlic (or two cloves regular), minced

1 bag frozen lima beans, thawed

2 medium zucchini, diced

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup white wine

1 large handful frozen sweet peas, thawed

chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

In a heavy pot (I use my cast iron Dutch oven!), sprinkle enough evoo to cover the bottom and let it heat for about two minutes on medium high. Carefully add the onion and garlic cloves and stir into the evoo. Let cook without stirring anymore for about two minutes, or until just-brown around the edges of the onion. Add the lima beans and stir to blend with onion and garlic clove mixture. Let cook without stirring anymore for five minutes. I know. This sounds like it's hard to do, but trust me - it makes for SUCH good succotash because it caramelizes your beans a little. Once you see the beans browning, add zucchini and stir with onion / garlic clove / bean mixture. Add seasonings and wine and stir. Let cook another two minutes. Remove from heat, add sweet peas and stir. Garnish with parsley. And stop eating it all while you're cooking it so as to save some for the others!