Cooking with edamame

Edamame, a sweet type of soybean, is an up-and-coming superfood that's high in fiber and protein, low in fat and sodium, and cholesterol-free. Edamame can be eaten right out of the pod, or in these yummy recipes:

Edamame succotash with shrimp

Submitted by Monica Goodin

Ingredients:

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

Directions:

Prepare edamame according to package instructions, 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 bacon and parsley. Serve immediately.

Edamame hummus with pita crisps

Submitted by Monica Goodin

Ingredients:

6 (6-inch) pitas, split in half horizontally

1 1/2 cups frozen blanched shelled edamame

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)

3 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange pita halves in a single layer on oven rack. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until crisp, then cool completely on wire rack. Break each pita half into about six chips.

Prepare edamame according to package directions, omitting salt. Place 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, cumin, coriander and garlic in food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times, or until coarsely chopped. Add edamame, parsley, tahini, water and juice; process 1 minute or until smooth.

Spoon hummus into a serving bowl. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with pita crisps.

Garlic Parmesan edamame

From 28cooks.blogspot.com

Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) package frozen edamame in shells

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Directions:

Steam edamame in microwave until slightly warm and not frozen. Drain and set aside.

In a small food processor, combine olive oil and garlic. Process until well-combined.

Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add edamame and toss for a few seconds. Add garlic oil and saute for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add breadcrumbs, Parmesan and salt and toss until well coated. Serve immediately.

Edamame guacamole

From wholefoodsmarket.com

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed

1 small, ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (optional)

1/3 bunch cilantro

1/4 white onion, roughly chopped

Juice of 2 limes

2 to 3 tablespoons water

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Put edamame, avocado, chipotle, cilantro, onion and lime juice in a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Add enough water to make a creamy consistency and pulse again. Transfer guacamole to a bowl, season with salt and pepper. Serve with raw vegetables or pita chips.

Edamame preparation

Fresh: For 1 pound fresh or frozen edamame, bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add beans and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain water, let cool slightly and sprinkle with salt. Raise the pods to your mouth and pop the beans into your mouth.

Frozen: Frozen edamame is usually already blanched, so you will not need to cook it as long as fresh edamame -- only 2 or 3 minutes.

Source: Monica Goodin, Mamma's Edamame in Charleston, Mo.