We Brake for Appetizers

By DONNA DEANE

Sept. 9, 1998 12 AM PT

TIMES TEST KITCHEN DIRECTOR

Too often when we’re trying to get dinner on the table in a hurry we forget the little things that can make the difference between a civilizing experience and a not-very-satisfying on-the-run meal.

An appetizer course, for instance, can make an everyday meal feel like an occasion--and it will keep everyone at the table a little longer so you can actually talk to each other before running off to the television.

Lightly boiled fresh soybeans in the pod, called edamame in Japanese, are a wonderfully simple appetizer. They make a great healthy snack food. In fact, when we served them in the Times Test Kitchen, people couldn’t stop eating them.

They’re easy to eat--you put the whole pod in your mouth and then pull out the hull, culling the beans with your teeth. You may want to put an empty dish on the table for the hulls.

Fresh soybeans are commonly found in farmers’ markets. They are also available frozen in some markets. Trader Joe’s and some specialty markets sell cooked fresh soybean pods in their deli sections or Japanese sections alongside sushi.

Pair the beans with a Japanese noodle and lettuce salad. The noodles come packaged in three individual packets with separate seasoning packets (in this recipe we do not use the seasoning packet). The noodles are cooked, then cooled before being tossed with the lettuce. Chilled watermelon makes a quick and tasty summer dessert.

Menu (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

Edamame

Japanese Noodle and Lettuce Salad

Slices of Fresh Watermelon

EDAMAME

1 pound fresh soybeans

1 tablespoon salt

Rinse soybeans under cold running water and drain.

Bring 1 quart water to boil. Add salt and soybeans. Return to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until soybeans easily pop out of pod, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and serve in mound on large platter.

2 servings. Each serving:

343 calories; 470 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 33 grams protein; 4.03 grams fiber.

JAPANESE NOODLE AND LETTUCE SALAD

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/4 cup water

1 (5.6-ounce) package fresh yakisoba noodles

1/2 head iceberg lettuce

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 Japanese cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, sliced

1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 carrot, shredded

1 tomato, cut into thin slices

1/2 (12.3-ounce) package firm, low-fat tofu, drained and cubed

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin (rice wine)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

Cracked black pepper

Toast sesame seeds in small ungreased skillet until lightly browned, about 1 minute, watching carefully not to burn. Spoon onto paper towel to cool.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil and water in skillet to simmer. Add yakisoba noodles. Do not use seasoning packet in noodle package. Stir in noodles and pan-fry, stirring until noodles are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Tear up iceberg lettuce to measure about 3 cups. Stir in spinach leaves, cucumber, celery, carrot, tomato and tofu.

Stir together rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Pour over salad and toss along with toasted sesame seeds and cracked black pepper to taste.

2 servings. Each serving:

597 calories; 985 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 79 grams carbohydrates; 21 grams protein; 3.60 grams fiber.

COUNTDOWN

30 minutes before: Put water on to boil for soybeans.

29 minutes before: Toast sesame seeds.

27 minutes before: Pan-fry noodles and set aside to cool.

24 minutes before: Drain tofu. Prepare vegetables for salad.

18 minutes before: Cube tofu and toss with vegetables. Refrigerate tossed salad until ready to serve.

12 minutes before: Prepare salad dressing.

10 minutes before: Add soybeans to boiling salted water. Use downtime for cleanup.

4 minutes before: Drain soybeans and put on serving dish. Cut up watermelon.

Last minute: Toss salad with noodles and dressing. Spoon onto platter or into serving bowls.