Fava Beans
Fava Beans Simmered in Wine
Broad beans or Fava Beans are popular throughout the Mediterranean. A ritual
Springtime Provencal hors d’oeuvre is young and tender Fava beans, eaten
raw, accompanied by thin slices of sausage and red wine. You sit around
enjoying the sunshine, the wine, and the company, and pop the bean out of
their skins and into your mouth.
2 ½ pounds unshelled fresh Fava Beans
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion minced
2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
a few lettuce leaves, cut
½ cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper
Remove the beans from the pods, bring a pot of water to boil, add salt, and
drop in the beans. Boil for 30 seconds (no longer) drain, and transfer to a
bowl of cold water. Using your thumbnail to slit the outer skins; pop out
the beans and set aside. Heat the oil in a casserole or covered skillet and
sauté the onions over medium low heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the
garlic, beans and lettuce, cover and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
Add the wine, over and cook 10 minutes or until the beans are tender. Season
to taste with salt and pepper. Serve.
Roasted Garlic-Fava Bean
Sauce
8 cup home-made chicken stock
1 garlic head roasted, cloves squeezed into a bowl
2 tablespoons cold butter cut into tablespoons
1 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
½ to 1 cup cooked fava beans
Place stock and roasted garlic in a medium saucepan and reduce to 3 cups.
Strain into a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the butter and
lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the fava beans
(from 1/2 to 1 cup, depending on desired consistency) and cook for 1 minute.
Serve with roasted chicken or other meat, or over rice or polenta.
Sauté of
Fresh Fava Beans, Onions, and Fennel
3 lb fresh fava beans shelled
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 fresh fennel bulb trimmed, sliced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds coarsely ground with a spice grinder
1 1/3 cup canned low-salt chicken broth more or less
4 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup chopped pancetta
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Cook fava beans in boiling salted water 2 minutes. Drain, cool and peel
outer skins. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add
onion and fennel bulb; sauté 5 minutes. Add favas or lima beans and fennel
seeds; sauté 3 minutes. Add 1 cup broth and 2 tablespoons dill; bring to
boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors.Stir in pancetta and
savory, adding more broth if mixture is dry. Simmer until favas are tender,
about 15 minutes longer.Mix in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons dill. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made
2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)