I know how to party. Seriously, when I’m not sharing tips, tools, techniques and recipes here, it’s my job. IRL I own a personal chef service and in the 12 years since I started I’ve helped hundreds of clients entertain at home and I’ve seen and cooked it all.
A cocktail party paying homage to the late Michael Jackson & Farrah Fawcett? Check. A post-funeral lunch complete with a disturbingly festive bunch of balloons tied to the mailbox? I cooked for that one. A Motown-themed shindig? Yep, those were my Jackson Five-Spice Meatballs on the table. And yes, I made dozens of mini Yes, We Can (Eat It All) Cheesecakes and Pork (Barrel) Tenderloin on Surplus Sweet Potato Biscuits for an election night soirée.
I’ve helped clients at every income level and every level of fancy pants entertain at home. Without question, the best parties – I mean the ones where guests devour the food, laugh ’til their faces hurt, and don’t want the night to end – are those that are simple and relaxed, not fussy. I can show you how to throw a sweet get together — complete with tasty apps and cocktails — without spending hours in the kitchen. I can. And I will. In my new cookbook! I’ve written two digital cookbooks — The Best International Flavors You’re Not Grilling With! 30 Recipes for Rubs, Marinades & Sauces with Global Appeal and I Can’t Even With Pumpkin Spice: 21 Recipes Celebrating the Real Flavors of Fall, but this will be my first actual book made with paper and a spine and everything.
Happy Hour in a Hurry: Appetizers & Cocktails to Get Your Party Started will be ready for your bookshelves soon! Stay tuned! It will be filled with super fast and fabulous recipes (like this Chipotle Lime Edamame) and crave-worthy cocktails (Bourbon & Ginger, anyone?) just in time to help you with your holiday -or anytime- entertaining. I can’t wait to share all the tips, tricks and recipes 12 years of professional partying have taught me. In the mean time you can chew on this fantastic edamame.
How to Cook Edamame
Edamame are unripe need soy beans, harvested while they’re still green and soft in their pods. (Soy beans are brown.) They’re considered a super vegetable because they contain all nine amino acids so there’s no guilt when you eat them all!
Cooking edamame is simple. I buy it frozen in one pound bags and drop it into a pot of salted boiling water until its tender to touch, about 3-4 minutes. Drain it and while you could start chowing down on them right away, I like to add flavor them by tossing them in a hot saute pan with a little olive oil and my favorite spices.
One bite of this Chipotle Lime Edamame and you will be hooked! Garlic and ground chipotle powder — my favorite is ALDI’s Stonemill Essentials Chipotle BBQ Seasoning, but regular ground chipotle powder is just as tasty — get a quick spin in a hot pan until your kitchen smells oh-so-good. Add the blanched edamame, give ’em a toss and they’re ready to demolish serve.
TIPS:
Drain the edamame well and pat it dry with a paper towel after boiling it. You don’t want excess water in your sauté pan.
Keep the garlic and ground chipotle pepper moving in the pan. They burn easily so you don’t want to let the sit still long enough to burn.
Serve your edamame with a bowl or plate for the empty pods.
TOOLS:
Large pot
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TECHNIQUES:
Blanching
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen edamame
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground Chipotle pepper
- Juice from half a lime
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add edamame and cook 4 minutes. Drain and use paper towels to pat edamame completely dry.
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and ground Chipotle pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about a minute. Add drained edamame and cook, tossing until edamame is evenly coated and heated through, 2-3 minutes.
- Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
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