This is a recipe that has been in my family for 40 years. The tarragon pairs nicely with the soybeans and macaroni and the aniseed adds a touch of sweetness. Cooking soybeans in a pressure cooker is a snap, so long as you do not overload the pressure cooker. If you cook the beans in a regular pot, add more water and simmer about 3 hours or until tender. Using canned soybeans, rinsed and drained, works nicely too.
Serves 4-6.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c dry soybeans
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1 c dry elbow macaroni
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 c minced onion
- 1/4 c minced parsley
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dry tarragon or 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon
- 1 tsp aniseed (optional)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp sugar
Directions:
- Soak the soybeans overnight, drain, cover with fresh water and a tsp of cooking oil; pressure cook for 20 minutes. Hold the pressure cooker under cold running water to cool it quickly. When the pressure is down, drain the soybeans, cool and add to a 2 quart covered casserole dish.
- Cook the macaroni in salted water according to package directions. Drain and cool. Add to the casserole dish.
- Peel and grate the carrot on a box grater or in a food processor. Add to the casserole dish. Add the celery, onion, and parsley.
- Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and add to the casserole dish, stirring well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving so that spices have a chance to blend.