Moving across the country presents a number of challenges. One of the biggest (at least for cooks
like myself) is realizing you have just a few weeks to use up your perishable food. The well-stocked refrigerator and freezer you've so carefully
maintained suddenly go from wonderfully convenient to huge pain in the tuchus. I suppose you could just make peace with
things and toss a bunch of food, but the wastefulness of that prospect just
kills me.
Instead, I've been
dutifully cooking my way through as much food as possible. It's kind of fun, really - like my very
own game of Chopped. I imagine Ted Allen saying, "What can you make
with frozen edamame, cashews, limes, and a bunch of slightly-shriveled
jalapenos?". Well, Ted, I will be making a delicious pureed soup. And no, Scott, it will not involve raw red onions.
I was a little
concerned that the firm texture of edamame (young green soybeans) wouldn't
blend into a perfectly smooth soup, but a quick Google search turned up a
number of examples proving otherwise. Heidi Swanson suggests straining this
edamame soup, but I didn't find straining necessary with mine. Simmering the
beans in the soup broth softened them nicely, and after that all it took was a
couple minutes in my trusty KitchenAid blender to turn out a velvety-smooth
soup.
Despite being a
spur-of-the-moment recipe, this Edamame Jalapeno Soup is great. The edamame
packs 16 grams of protein into each serving, making this an excellent
high-protein vegan lunch or dinner. Removing the ribs and seeds from the
jalapenos takes the heat level down to a gentle warmth and really lets the
flavor of the pepper shine through. A handful of cashews adds richness, a dash
of cumin lends a smoky note, and a bit of lime juice wakes up all the flavors.
Move or no move, this recipe's a keeper.
Edamame Jalapeno
Soup
Serves 6
1 tablespoon olive
oil
4 ounces jalapeno
peppers (about 4 peppers)
1 large onion,
chopped
2 cloves garlic,
minced
1 teaspoon ground
cumin
1 pound shelled
edamame beans (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup raw cashews
1 quart vegetable
broth (I used 4 cups water plus 2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon paste)
1 tablespoon lime
juice
Cut the stems from
the peppers, then slice peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs
from the interiors. Finely chop the peppers.
In a large pot over
medium heat, cook the peppers and onions in oil for 5-7 minutes until beginning
to soften, then add the garlic and cumin and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the
beans, cashews, and vegetable broth. Cover with lid and bring to a boil, then
reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until beans are very tender.
Transfer half of
soup to blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth (remember to
remove the center portion of the lid and cover with a towel to allow steam from
the hot soup to escape); transfer from blender. Blend remaining half of soup. Return
blended soup to pot over low heat and add lime juice. Taste for seasoning,
adding more salt if necessary. Serve with a dollop of vegan sour cream or plain
yogurt if desired. Soup will keep in fridge for 1 week.