Fresh is best for seasonal dish

A: Steve Alterman, proprietor of Horseradish Grill, sent his thanks to our readers for their interest in recipes steeped in Southern tradition. …

The author of the succotash recipe was the restaurant’s third chef, Tom McEachern. The restaurant has a garden in its backyard, and McEachern asked the gardener to plant lady peas. “She did and they arrived that summer about five years ago with a vengeance (which is to say, all at once). We had to cook them or lose them, so Tom found a recipe that dates to at least 1929, and it complemented our horseradish-crusted grouper, so it stuck, ” Alterman wrote.

The restaurant serves succotash in the summer when the peas are fresh, but you can use frozen peas if you start to crave succotash out of season. “Fresh lady peas and other shelled peas are not cheap, and they are sometimes difficult to find. Their growing season is right in the heart of summer, and usually can be found at roadside stands from late May through August, ” Alterman wrote. In season, fresh shelled summer peas also can be found at local farmers markets and at the State Farmers Market in Forest Park.

Horseradish Grill’s Succotash

1 pound lady peas, small limas or crowder peas

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 ears fresh corn, husked, kernels cut from cob

1 small onion, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 small red bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a medium saucepan, cover peas with water and add salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until peas are just tender. Time will vary according to size and freshness of peas from 20 to 40 minutes.

While peas are cooking, in a large skillet, melt butter. Add corn, onion and garlic. Saute until onion is cooked through. When peas are done, drain and add to skillet. Add red bell pepper pieces and parsley. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Serves: 6

Per serving: 330 calories (percent of calories from fat, 8), 18 grams protein, 61 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams fiber, 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 23 milligrams sodium.