Frogpond Acres

I processed this year’s harvest of edamame today. Edamame (or giant soybeans) are fairly easy to grow but here they seem to attract a lot of Japanese beetles in early July. This year we didn’t spray but ended up shaking the beetles into a bucket of soapy water in the early morning when they were still asleep. That worked pretty well.

We preserve edamame by freezing them. The process is to heat a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Place the washed, fresh edamame into the boiling water. Time for 3 minutes when they hit the water, not when it starts to re-boil. Immediately plunge them into ice water. After a minute or two, put them on a towel and dry as quickly as possible. We then put them by 1-pound amounts into vacuum-seal bags, remove the air, and seal. Then into the freezer they go.

They are a good source of protein. Steam for about 7 minutes, and shake with some sea salt. Eat the beans as an appetizer or in salads.