Charred Okra Succotash Salad - okra

Method

• Rinse and thoroughly dry the okra, then trim the tops.
• In a 12-inch (30cm) skillet (cast iron works well), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring every so often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour the bacon fat into a small, heatproof bowl. Wipe out the pan.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lima beans, turn down the heat, and simmer until tender, which can take anywhere from a few minutes to 20 minutes, depending on the freshness of your lima beans. Drain.
• Coat the bottom of the pan with bacon fat and warm over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches, arrange the okra in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until nicely charred on the bottom, several minutes. Flip the okra and continue to cook until crisp-tender and charred on all sides, about 3 minutes. Taste an okra pod to check doneness; if the okra is charring too quickly, turn down the heat. Transfer the okra to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Pour more bacon fat or olive oil into the pan if needed and warm over medium-high heat. Add the corn, scallions, and red pepper flakes and saute until the corn is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt.
• Turn the heat down to low and add the bacon, lima beans, and cherry tomatoes. Toss gently and cook until just warmed through, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding as much of the lemon juice as you like. Remove from the heat.
• Add the parsley and basil and toss together. Serve warm or at room temperature.