Recipe Swap: Versatile edamame packed with nutrition and taste

Martha and Ralph Maxton of Cape Girardeau have gone into farming in their backyard. Yes, the Maxtons are growing soybeans or, culinarily speaking, edamame. They have been purchasing frozen for several years but decided to grow some in their garden. Martha is now harvesting her first crop and preparing them to be frozen by washing and blanching the pods for 20 minutes before shelling out the edamame. Edamame is the Japanese word for green, immature soybeans, and they have been cultivated in China since at least 3000 B.C. Edamame are nutritious: high in fiber, protein and heart healthy with no cholesterol or saturated fat.

Maxton Edamame Salad

Martha enjoys using edamame in a variety of ways, but especially in a salad she and Ralph make quite often.

They use leaf lettuce, chopped apple, celery, sweet red pepper, walnuts, dried cranberries and blueberries with rice noodles sprinkled over the top. A favorite dressing with this salad is a light raspberry walnut vinaigrette. Serve whole-wheat crackers or a muffin to complete the meal.

Edamame with Sesame Jasmine Rice

1 cup jasmine rice (may substitute long-grain white rice)

1 1/2 cup prepared, shelled edamame

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine 2 cups water, rice, edamame, oil and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand covered 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. Stir in sesame seeds and season with salt and pepper.

Edamame Succotash with Shrimp

1 1/2 cups frozen blanched shelled edamame

3 bacon slices

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, split lengthwise and cut crosswise into thin strips

2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)

3 tablespoons white wine

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Prepare edamame according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon. Reduce heat to medium. Add celery, onion, garlic and jalapeno to pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in edamame, corn and wine. Cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add shrimp. Cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and parsley. Serve immediately.

Sesame Beef and Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, divided

1/4 cup Chinese black (Chinkiang) vinegar or rice vinegar, divided

4 teaspoons dark sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

3/4 pound top round, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted and divided

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups red bell pepper strips

1 1/2 cups frozen, blanched, shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed

1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps

1 (15-ounce) can whole baby corn, drained

1/2 cup diagonally cut green onions

3 cups cooked jasmine rice

Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar, sesame oil and five-spice powder in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add beef. Toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove beef from bowl. Discard marinade. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar, water and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef. Stir-fry 1 minute. Remove beef from pan. Add 1 teaspoon peanut oil, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, ginger and garlic to pan. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add bell pepper, edamame, mushrooms and corn. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add beef and cornstarch mixture. Stir-fry 3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and onions. Serve over rice.

Orzo Salad with Marinated Mushrooms and Edamame

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

7 cups quartered mushrooms (about 1 pound)

2 cups frozen blanched shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 cups cooked orzo (about 1 cup uncooked rice-shaped pasta)

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, edamame, and bell pepper. Cook 1 minute. Place mushroom mixture in a large bowl. Cool to room temperature. Discard bay leaf. Add pasta and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup).

I hope you have a chance to try this ingredient that might not be too familiar to you. It is available at any grocery store now.

Last week I wrote about Greek and Lebanese foods and I had several calls from people that could not find some of the ingredients or wanted a wider variety in that area. In Cape Girardeau we are lucky to have several ethnic grocery stores. Pacific Rim Market on Independence Street carries all of the items in the recipes, including the Greek yogurt, and is open seven days a week. Have fun with all of these recipes.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at susanmcclanahan63703@gmail.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.