One Great . . . use for edamame

With all that chocolate we ate Tuesday, maybe it's time to try something green instead of red. Think of this as a handy and versatile version of hummus. You can serve it as a dip with crackers, chips or celery sticks, or you can serve it warm or at room temperature as a side dish. We've even taken it as a bag lunch with a small can of tuna.

Edamame Dip

Adapted from several versions, including the New York Times, www.lafujimama.com and "The
Essential Eating Well Cookbook" (Countryman Press, 2004).

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen shelled edamame
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup cilantro, rinsed and chopped, plus a few leaves for garnish
1/2 cup red onion, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus juice of two lemons
Crackers, chips or celery sticks, if serving as a dip

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to boil. Add edamame and garlic; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes, until edamame are just tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Place the edamame, garlic, cilantro, red onion and 1/4 cup cooking liquid in a food processor. Pulse several times, scraping down sides. Add olive and sesame oil, salt and pepper, Sriracha, lemon zest and lemon juice. Process until mostly smooth with a few chunks remaining. Add more of the reserved cooking liquid if needed.

Serve warm, or cover tightly and refrigerate until chilled.