Sophisticated Savories

Sophisticated Savories

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Edamame

One aspect of food that fascinates me… how one product… let’s take a carrot, for example… can morph into a plethora of different flavors… simply by means of preparation. Raw, cooked, baked, roasted, fried, pureed, transformed into soup, marinated, picked… then when paired with other veggies/fish/meat/grains… the possibilities of flavors are endless. Literally. 

Edamame are known as a “wonderfood” because of the numerous health benefits packed into the vibrant green beans. They are most commonly served lightly seamed, with a dusting of fresh, crushed sea salt. The crunchy salt enhances the “meaty” seeds when removed from the pod. One of my favorite manners of enjoying edamame is by pureeing them into a soft, yet textured dip. Simply steam for about 5 minutes, then drain. Place dry (yet warm) beans in blender/vitamix (just purchased my Vitamix from Sur La Table… I love it!!) and season with sea salt, pinch of cayenne pepper and fresh herbs (love herbs de Provence). While in the process of pureeing, add 2 Tbsp Sesame Oil… you may also thin the puree with cream, milk or Greek yogurt. Squeeze juice of ½ lemon in order to brighten the beans and “cut” with citrus. Taste as you go and season to your liking. Remember, you can always add more, but more difficult to take away.

The puree can be enjoyed as a dip for chips, paired with hummus and consumed with pita bread, left standing alone, used as a “filler” for wontons or ravioli, thinned significantly and pureed into a sauce, paired with fish, meat or veggies in order to add dimension, color and nutrition to a dish… possibilities are endless!

As you continue to experiment in the kitchen, you will build your confidence and actually look forward to cooking. Learn to trust your inner intuition and challenge yourself to grow… well, that applies to so many areas of life! Live, laugh, love, cook… it’s a beautiful thing y’all!

Love y’all! ♥

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