Green and spicy
The edamame beans ( can be substituted with fresh or frozen green peas) do make an unexpected companion to feta cheese.
Almonds come in the mix to enhance the crumbly texture and add an earthy tint to the recipe, while garlic and chilly pepper spice things up.
Edamame Mint Spread with Feta Cheese
Ingredients
250 g shelled edamame (or fresh green peas)
50 g whole almonds, roasted
60 g Feta cheese, crumbled
30 g mint leaves, fresh
1 garlic clove, peeled
160 ml virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
black pepper, freshly ground
½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Method
1. Blanch edamame in a pot of boiling, salted water, for 30 seconds. Drain.
2. In a food processor pulse the edamame, almonds, Feta cheese, mint, garlic, olive oil, salt and chilli flakes (pulse so that the chunks become the size of pencil shavings). Transfer half of the mixture to a serving bowl and pulse the remaining mixture a few more times (making it an even finer consistency) before adding it to the same bowl.
3. Season with black pepper and lemon juice, to taste; stir to combine.
4. Serve as an appetizer with rusks, pita bread or fresh farmers bread with a few drops of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt on top.
