Edamame makes us very happy. It is currently a very expensive and labor intensive crop, since it’s harvested by hand, but farmer Mary Ellen Raymond says she is working on a solution. A robotics student at the UMSL extension is designing an automated picker and we hope it will allow for cheaper edamame in our future. We also hope to get SLU to freeze some for our winter shares. For now, we’ll enjoy them in moderation, but enjoy them we will.
To prepare your edamame, rinse in a colander, boil in salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, and drain and cool. Toss with more salt, if desired. Pop the beans out of the pod with your thumb and forefinger (or your teeth). Enjoy as is or use in a recipe, such as Edamame Pesto–just substitute edamame for carrot tops in this recipe and it makes a wonderful spread for crackers or cucumbers!
