edamame miso party dip with baked pita chips

I got the idea for this dip from some show that Alton Brown was in on the Food Network. Maybe it was “Good Eats?” I saw the program six or eight months ago so don’t quite remember. It’s really a variation on American basil pesto or how one might make hummus. The main difference is using edamame and miso instead of basil, nuts and cheese or in the case of hummus, chickpeas. My recipe is a bit different from Mr. Brown’s, though I’m sure that his is excellent, too.

This week, my sister was visiting from San Diego. She is very health conscious, avoiding fried foods and a lot of dairy. This recipe is dairy-free. The miso gives the dip a fermented richness of flavor that is similar to cheese. Her visit was the perfect opportunity to try it out. I already had all of the ingredients at home. It’s fast to make and it turns out that it’s delicious! The color of the dip is a stunning bright green. I served this with baked pita chips with sea salt from Trader Joe’s and a 2008 Costières de Nîmes blanc, Château L’Ermitage. This wine was almost as good as the 2007 that we tasted earlier this year and went well with the dip.

Edamame can easily be found these days in the frozen section of most supermarkets. Mine came from Trader Joe’s. I’ve seen miso paste around more and more often lately, too. The one that I used was a red miso from a local Japanese supermarket.

Edamame Miso Party Dip

2 cups shelled frozen edamame, cooked per package directions
2 tsp. miso paste
¼ to ½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, roasted in dry skillet and peeled
1 inch thick slice onion, roasted in dry skillet
1 jalapeno pepper, roasted in dry skillet, seeds stem and ribs removed
juice of one lemon
½ tsp. salt
black pepper to taste

To roast garlic, onion slice and jalapeno, heat skillet on high; add vegetables without oil. Allow to cook about five minutes or so until begin to char, turning periodically. Remove from heat. Peel garlic. Remove and discard pepper seeds and ribs.

Add all ingredients to food processor. Process until forms a smooth paste. If too thick add more olive oil. Serve with chips or raw vegetables as a party appetizer.

red miso paste