The FAVArite Spring Bean

We Americans don't do fava, the ancient protein packed wonder bean of the Mediterranean. That's a shame because fava beans, especially dried, may be the tastiest and sweetest of the class. And spring is their season. If you get them fresh and slim from a farmers' market, you don't have to double peel them--an added bonus. And you should get them: they are a nutritional treasure chest of iron, protein, potassium and magnesium. Plus their bright green is invigorating to look at.

Fava beans have an alias: broad beans. In a few places they're aka pigeon beans or horse beans. Dried and canned, they're often called "ful." But right now is fresh fava harvest. So here are a few ways to dig in and enjoy them while the getting is good.

Spring Fava and Leftover Lamb Pilaf 
 

Serves 4
1 1/4 lbs fava beans, removed from their pods
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, sliced
3 mint leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp coriander seeds
Juice of ¼ lemon

For the pilaf
2 onions, sliced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3/4 c brown basmati rice
1/2 lb  lamb, leftover from a roast, shredded into bite-size pieces
A small cinnamon stick
1 2/3 c water

To serve
Yogurt
Toasted cumin seeds
Salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

      First, prepare the beans. Coat the bottom of a lidded frying pan with 2-3 tbsp olive oil and warm over medium heat. Gently sauté the fava beans. Add the sliced garlic, cover and cook  2 minutes. Add the chopped mint, coriander and lemon juice and sauté 2 more minutes. Set aside.

      Preheat the oven to 325º. Coat the bottom of a heavy-bottom casserole dish with 2-3 tbsp olive oil and gently sauté the onions 15-20 minutes, until soft and caramelized. Add the coriander and garlic and cook  2 more minutes.

      Add the rice and stir, coating every grain with oil, onion and spice. Add the lamb, cooked broad beans, cinnamon stick and water. Bring to a boil,  reduce heat, taste and adjust the seasoning. Put the lid on and place the dish in the oven about 45 minutes. All the water should be absorbed.

      Serve with yogurt seasoned with toasted cumin seeds, salt and pepper, and olive oil.

Spring Fava with Fresh Artichokes, Peas and Lettuce
serves 6
juice of 1 lemon
6 lg artichokes
4 heads Little Gem lettuce
1/4 c olive oil, good quality is best
2 lbs fresh shelled fava beans, blanched and peeled
1/4 c chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c vegetable broth
1 c shelled English peas

grated zest of 2 lemons
6 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tbsp garlic, finely minced
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Fill a bowl with water and the lemon juice so you can prepare the artichokes. Trim each stem flush with the bottom and remove all the leaves to get to the heart. Pare off the dark green areas at the base. Half each heart and scoop out the choke with a paring knife. Put in the lemon water.
   Core the lettuce and slice the leaves across into 1/2" wide strips. Drain the artichokes and cut into thin slices.
   Make the gremolata topping by combining in a small bowl the lemon zest, chopped parsley, garic and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
   In a deep sauté pan over low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the artichoke slices and sauté, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the fava beans, lettuce, parsley, basil and just enough stock to barely cover everything. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Raise heat to medium and sauté, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated--maybe 10-12 minutes. After 5 minutes add the peas. In the end, the artichokes and peas should be tender.
   Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the germolata and let the dish rest five minutes before serving.

Italian Fava Bean and Pasta Soup
This recipe often calls from teensy clumps of egg pasta known as frascarelli, which you have to make yourself. I have substituted two options: spaetzle, which is an egg pasta, and fregola, which is not. It's toasted though and that adds another dimension.

serves 4

1 large red onion 
2 carrots
6 celery stalks
3 garlic loves, chopped
2 dried chilies, minced or crumbled
1 1/2 lbs shelled fava beans (you'll need to buy about 3 lbs in the pod)
2 1/2 c strained tomatoes or tomato puree 
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 c spaetzle or fregola (if you use fregola par cook it 5 minutes in boiling water)
1/2 lb pecorino cheese
salt and pepper
Garnish: flat leaf parsley 

Dice the onion, carrot and celery. Sweat them with a pinch of salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan--this means cook them on low heat and let the salt bring out their juices. If you are worried about burning, add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once the veggies have started to soften, add the garlic and chili. Cook on your lowest heat for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time to release its sweetness. Add the tomato puree and increase the heat to low/medium.

Cook for 8 minutes, then 8 cups of water. Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pasta you chose. Simmer for 10 minutes, adding boiling water if it looks too thick. Serve immediately with grated cheese and freshly chopped flat leaf parsley.

Moroccan Fava Bean Soup
 serves 4

2 pounds fresh fava beans

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium or large carrots, peeled and diced 2 medium turnips, peeled and diced

1 small potato (about 4 ounces), peeled and diced

2 quarts water, vegetable stock or chicken stock

Salt to taste

A bouquet garni made with a couple of sprigs of parsley, a bay leaf and several sprigs of cilantro

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin 

Garnish: cilantro leaves and optionally, mint leaves

Peel the favas. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Boil shelled fava beans 5 minutes, drain and transfer immediately to the cold water. Allow the beans to cool for several minutes, then slip off their skins by pinching off the eye of the skin and squeezing gently. Hold several beans in one hand and use your other thumb and forefinger to pinch off the eyes, have a bowl for the shelled favas close at hand and this will not take very long.

In a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium flame, and add leeks, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add turnips, potatoes, favas, water or stock, salt, cumin and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.

Using a hand blender or a food mill, purée the soup, making sure that you place a towel over the top of the blender and remove the inner part of the lid to avoid hot splashes. Return to the pot, add the pepper, turmeric and chopped cilantro and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring often, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Serve in wide soup bowls, garnished with cilantro leaves/ optionally mint leaves and a drizzle of olive oil over each serving.

Nepali Fava Beans with Potatoes and Spices
serves 3-4
1 lb fava beans, shelled and skinned
4 medium boiling potatoes, cleaned
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin seed
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground chili powder
1/4 tsp garam masala or curry powder
2 tbsp mustard, corn or canola oil

Peel potatoes and cut them into large bite-sized pieces
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and fry until they pop. Add fava beans and potatoes, salt and all spices but garam masala/curry powder. Stir to blend. Add about 1/4 c hot water and cook over low heat until potatoes and beans are tender. Add water if necessary along the way. When liquid has evaporated and potatoes are tender, remove from heat. Stir in the garam masala,curry powder, check salt and adjust if necessary. Serve with rice, paratha or naan.

Fava Mint Puree (aka "hummus") 

 

Serves 4
2 lb broad beans shelled
1/3 c chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 c chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 c olive oil
5 oz pecorino cheese grated
1 clove garlic peeled
salt and pepper

Boil the shelled beans in salted water until tender. Drain and allow to cool. Remove any thick coverings.  Put garlic and a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle and pound to a paste. Continue pounding, adding the herbs little by little. Then add the beans and work until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, stir in olive oil and cheese. OR put everything in a food processor and whizz quickly to make a paste. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust.

Spring Fava and Mint with Feta and Fregola 
This is a cross between a risotto and pasta dish, a one-course meal
serves 3-4

1 c shelled fava beans
3 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
4 spring onions, diced as far up the green as you can go
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chorizo, minced
1/4 c chopped fresh mint leaves
1 celery stalk, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch of ground cinnamon
1/4 lb fresh feta, crumbled
1 c chopped tomatoes (boxed is fine)
2 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 tbsp freshly chopped dill
1 1/4 c fregola
3 c vegetable broth
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the shelled fava beans in salted boiling water. Remove, drain and when cool slip the outer skins.
Bring the vegetable broth to boil in a medium pot and add the fregola. Cook about 8 minutes, until the fregola is al dente. Drain but retain the broth.
   While fregola is cooking, coat the bottom of a medium skillet with the olive oil and warm it on low heat. Add the chorizo, shallot, celery and garlic and sauté 3-5 minutes until everything is soft. Add the oregano, cumin, cinnamon and stir to blend. Add the tomatoes, fava beans, mint and dates. Continue cooking until the beans are tender and tomato is hot, maybe 5 minutes.
  Stir in the fregola and feta, salt and pepper. Add 1/4 c of the fregola cooking broth and stir. Cook until all liquid has evaporated, less then 5 minutes.  Stir in the dill, adjust salt and serve.

Simple Greek style Sautéed Fava Beans in Olive Oil
serves 4-6

3 lbs fava beans in pods
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c olive oil
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Serve with thick yogurt

Shell the fava beans and quickly blanch them in boiling salted water. Drain, cool and slip the skins.
In a medium skillet or heavy gauge pot, heat the olive oil over low/medium. Add scallions and garlic and a lot of freshly ground black pepper. Sauté 1-2 minutes. Add beans, dill and salt to your taste. Add up to 1/4 c hot water--just enough to reach the beans in the pot. Cover and cook over low/medium heat until water has evaporated and beans are tender. Check for salt. Remove to a serving dish. Optionally, add a dollop of thick plain yogurt.

To make these Italian style, omit the yogurt and stir in 2 tbsp grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.