Seafood on Edamame Puree & Soy Reduction

If you love Asian flavors, this is a great summer starter with lots of Umami taste in it. Fresh seafood is combined with delicious Edamame puree that has a hint of sweetness from the coconut, and the soy reduction gives it a salty balance. Make sure you buy organic Edamame (soy beans) that are Non-GMO certified (GMO stands for genetically-modified organism). They can be hard to find in some places, but can be substituted with organic peas.

You need the following ingredients: (about 4 servings)

For the Seafood:

• 12 pieces of either prawns, scallops, or a combination of both (or 16 pieces if you want to serve 4 pieces on each plate)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of chopped fresh coriander
• some black pepper

For the Edamame Puree:

• 500 g Edamame (soy beans) – non-GMO certified
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp garlic (about 2 cloves)
• 1 lemongrass stalk
• 2-3 cm / ~1 inch of ginger root
• 1 can (400 ml / 14 fl oz) organic coconut milk
• 10 g wasabi or to taste

For the Soy Reduction:

• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 45 g / 1/4 cup of Xylitol
• 160 ml / 3/4 cup light soy sauce
• 45 ml / 3 tbsp Mirin (Japanese sweet cooking seasoning)
• 1 tsp tapioca starch

Seafood:

Peel the prawns if they are not peeled yet, then put them into a container together with the scallops. Wash the coriander and chop finely. Add the coriander, sesame oil, and pepper to the seafood and combine gently. Then store in the fridge until needed later.

Edamame Puree:

Chop the garlic, cut 2-3 pieces (about 2.5 cm or 1″) off the ginger root, and crack the lemongrass to release its flavor (beat it lightly with a kitchen hammer or crush it gently with the blade of your knife). Heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, the ginger, and the lemongrass into the pot and let is sizzle briefly. Add the Edamame, stir well, and let cook for about a minute. Now add the coconut milk and the wasabi, stir well, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Then remove the lemongrass and ginger, and puree with a hand blender until smooth and creamy.

Soy Reduction:

Take a small pan or pot, set to high heat, and add the sesame oil and xylitol. Wait until the xylitol dissolves while stirring occasionally.  Pour in soy sauce and the Mirin and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally. It should reduce by about a third or a quarter, which typically takes about 15 minutes. At the end, dissolve the tapioca starch with a tsp of water and pour it into the soya reduction while stirring. Let it cool down and pour it into a squeeze bottle that you will later use to garnish the plate.

Serving:

Sizzle the seafood in a pan on high heat for about two minutes on each side. It should be nicely browned outside and still a bit glassy on the inside. Don’t overcook it. Place a portion of the Edamame puree onto the plate. If you have food forming rings, this is a good occasion to use them, otherwise just arrange nicely with a spoon. Arrange the seafood pieces around the puree. Using the squeeze bottle, decorate the plate with the soy reduction. If you like to, garnish the puree with some sprouts or basil.

Enjoy, Melanie

Categories: Starters, World of Recipes