garlicky lemony fava beans

There is a bag of fava beans in my fridge crying out to be eaten. They arrived in the CSA box last week and have felt pretty ignored since that point. It's not because I don't want to use them - my intentions have been good. I thought about making something with them last week, but opted for the more familiar broccoli that had been the favas' boxmates. I nearly made a salad with them for our Sunday BBQ, but again they were usurped by another veggie (green beans, in a blackened green bean citrus salad).

I've only cooked fava beans once before (fava bean bruschetta), so perhaps part of my hesitancy is because I'm not entirely sure what to do with them. Also, the one time I prepared the fresh beans before, I found them to be a bit of work: they are double encased, which means they are generally first be shelled, then blanched and the second skin removed. As I started poking around on the internet, however, I learned a shortcut.

I discovered a number of recipes that involved sautéing the fava beans (second skin intact). The one I basically followed (with one minor modification) was from the Mariquita Farm's website, where they have an entire subpage devoted to fava bean recipes. The one that caught my eye is called "Julia's Desparation Favas". The first step listed is "have children, guests, or domestic partners remove fava beans from pods," which I found amusing. My modification to the recipe was the addition of lemon juice and zest and chili flakes (we are overrun with lemons at the moment, as a neighbor JR ran into while walking the pug yesterday sent him home with a bagful). Here's what I did:

Garlicky Lemony Fava Beans

Serves 2

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 pound fava beans, shelled

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

1/4 tsp. crushed chili flakes

sea salt

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add fava beans, garlic, lemon juice and zest, and chili flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to brown and the skins are beginning to come off. The whole thing can be eaten. Serve hot as a side dish or cold for a lemony fava bean salad. Enjoy!

One year ago: garlicky, salty, sweet quinoa

fava bean bruschetta

I bought fresh fava beans for the very first time to make this recipe. To be honest, I'm not sure I've ever eaten fresh fava beans before. They are a bit of work - encased twice in pod and spongy skin - but worth it for the fresh taste of springtime.

The recipe is from Organic Marin: Recipes from Land to Table. It goes like this:

Fava Bean Bruschetta

1 pound fava beans, shelled

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 Tbsp. fresh thyme, minced

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly grated pepper

1 sourdough baguette

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Blanch the fava beans for 5 minutes, then drain and plunge into an ice-water bath. Once the beans are cool, peel them by pinching off the skin.

Put the beans in a food processor. Add garlic, lemon juice, and thyme. Pulse for several seconds until the beans are coarsely chopped. With the machine running, add the 1/4 cup olive oil until well combined. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Cut the baguette into 1/4-inch diagonal slices. Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of he bread slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Using a butter knife, spread 1 teaspoon fava bean puree on each toast. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Serve at room temperature.

I just asked JR for his thoughts on the bruschetta, and he offered this tidbit: "its subtle sweetness danced like angels on my tongue, tiny angels." Those who know JR will appreciate that treasure.