A twist for Edamame

A versatile spice blend from Lantern's Andrea Reusing Lucky 7 At her Chapel Hill restaurant, Lantern, Andrea Reusing marries Asian flavors with ingredients sourced from North Carolina's farms and fisheries. In her first cookbook, Cooking in the Moment, the award-winning chef aims to share the simple recipes she makes for family and friends in her home kitchen with cooks everywhere. Here, she puts Asian spices into play with a colorful seven-spice powder that seasons a new-to Carolina crop: edamame. Add a pinch to flavor the soybeans, then follow Reusing's lead and use the leftover blend to add subtle heat to sashimi, noodles and soups. Warm Edamame with Seven-Spice Powder Recipe adapted from Cooking in the Moment by Andrea Reusing (Clarkson Potter) Yield: 4 servings INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fine Korean chile powder or finely ground flakes from a semi-hot dried chile (such as ancho) 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, toasted 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted 2½ teaspoons poppy seeds 2½ teaspoons sansho powder (optional; see Note) 1½ teaspoons kosher salt 1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest ¼ sheet of nori (dried seaweed), finely chopped (about 1½ teaspoons) 4 cups fresh or frozen edamame pods Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon Directions: 1. Make the seven-spice powder: In a small bowl, combine the chile powder with the black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sansho powder (if using), kosher salt, orange zest and nori. 2. Make the edamame: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the edamame until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the edamame in a colander. 3. Transfer the edamame to a medium bowl and toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the seven-spice powder. (Transfer the remaining spice powder to an airtight container and reserve for another use.) Season to taste with sea salt and serve immediately. Note: Sansho powder is related to Sichuan pepper and has a similarly numbing heat but with bright lemony notes. Look for it at Asian markets.