In southwest Native American and Mexican culture, corn, beans, and squash are the Three Sisters summer vegetables. Planted together, they grow in a symbiotic relationship. Eaten together, they provide a vitamin and protein-rich meal.
In fall and winter, I make a Three Sisters Summer Vegetable Soup with dried corn, dried beans, and heavy autumn squashes. But in summer, oh, summer: fresh sweet corn, fresh roasted squash, and fresh beans. You can use zucchini, chayote — whatever looks best. The crucial step: First, roast the squash and scallions in a very hot oven until it is tinged brown. Then add the raw corn, fresh beans, salt, pepper, and parsley. These will cook in the residual high heat of the squash and retain all the sweetness of a Three Sisters summer.
Three Sisters Summer Vegetables
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini or 2 chayote
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 ears fresh corn, shucked
- 1 cup fresh or frozen edamame or lima beans
- 1/4 cup parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees Farenheit. Place a large cast iron pan or roasting tray or cookie sheet in the oven to warm.
- Peel chayote or other squash if the skin is thick. Cut in half lengthwise, then scoop out seeds if necessary. Cut into 1 inch cubes.
- Toss the cubed squash with the olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped scallions
- Carefully pour into the hot baking pan. Roast until just tender, about 10 minutes. Check to see if the pieces have started to brown. When they are just beginning to brown, remove them.
- Shuck the corn. Stand it up on end on a cutting board and with a sharp knife slice down to separate the kernels fro the cob.
- Remove from the oven carefully and set on a heat-proof surface. Immediately add the shucked corn kernels, beans and parsley. Stir well. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot, warm or cold.
Notes
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