Summer Succotash Skillet

From the garden

• 4 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels cut off
• 2 cups lima beans (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

From the pantry

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• crusty bread (optional) — for serving
• salt — to taste
• black pepper

1. If your lima beans are fresh, simmer them in salted water 8–10 minutes until just tender and drain; frozen beans need only a rinse to thaw.
2. Cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5–6 minutes. Scoop it onto a paper towel, keeping about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
3. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook the onion and bell pepper in the bacon fat 4–5 minutes, until softened with browned edges. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
4. Add the corn kernels and lima beans and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn turns bright and picks up a little toast. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook 2–3 minutes more, just until they slump and release their juices.
5. Pull the pan off the heat and stir in the butter, vinegar, bacon, and basil. Taste — it should be sweet, smoky, and just tangy. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm, with crusty bread if you like.