Friday, July 18, 2008
Food, Recipes

Garden party

Edamame garden salad

Masterpiece Catering
By Curt Bohling

With summer upon us, I like to prepare lighter dishes that showcase the freshest ingredients of the season. I cook with organic fruits and locally grown vegetables, and I bring in spices from all over the world. My edamame garden salad for summer is a recipe that balances all of these delicious colors and textures. It’s made with an organic bulgur wheat and locally grown vegetables; I call it a garden version of tabouli.

I like this recipe because it’s such a healthy alternative to a heavy Caesar or club. It’s also perfect picnic food; plus, this salad tastes great chilled or at room temperature. Even my picky 8-year-old will eat this dish.

Because edamame is so rich in soy protein, this is a salad that’s filling enough for a main course. You get all of your essential amino acids in one dish. I incorporate Mediterranean flavors like mint, parsley and garlic with the tomatoes, green onions, olive oil and lemon.  Everything I make has to have a balance, and this dish shares all of these flavors. The cucumber makes it sweet, the basil makes it metallic, and the Dijon adds all of the wonderful acids.

I like to serve this salad with a dry white wine, like a Chardonnay or a pinot grigio.  This is a dish that’s meant to be an experience, so make it with your partner and create a memory.  You can celebrate the very best flavors of the season. SP
Curt Bohling is the executive chef of Masterpiece Catering. 4947 Winters Chapel Road. Suite 6. Dunwoody. 678-990-9808. www.masterpieceevent.com.

Edamame Garden Salad for Summer

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

• 2 cups edamame beans
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup green onion
• ½ cup green olives
• 1 bunch asparagus
• ½ pound feta cheese crumbles
• Fresh basil or homemade pesto
• 2 cups cracked wheat
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Tools:

• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Peeler
• 2 mixing bowls
• Sauce pot

Procedure:

Bring a sauce pot with 6 cups of water to a boil.  Add the asparagus, then strain and cool in the fridge.  Save the blanched water and add the cracked wheat to this.  Cook for 5 minutes.

Wash and clean all vegetables thoroughly.  Most edamame can be found in your local health food market freezer.  Be sure to thaw them in your refrigerator overnight to prevent any additional loss of moisture from the bean.  Place in one of the mixing bowls.  Next peel your cucumbers, cut into quarters and slice into ¼ inch pieces.  Add this to the beans; then cut the tomatoes in half.  Add this to the chilled asparagus and olives and serve.