Fava responses!

Title: Fava responses!
Well, I really got alot of feedback on my question  about using fava beans.  Several people asked me to share what I learned so here it is, both basic directions and recipes.  Thanks to everyone who responded!

Adapted from Patricia Wells TRATTORIA. Enjoy!

Fresh Fava Bean and Pecorino Salad

2 lbs. fresh unshelled fava beans (about 2 cups shelled beans) 3 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp dried leaf oregano
3 TBSP flat leaf parsley, snipped with scissors 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
8 oz soft sheep's milk cheese (Pecorino toscano), or goat's milk cheese, cut in cubes the size of a fava bean Fine sea salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Shell the beans. You should have about 2 cups of beans. Blanch the beans in boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then slip off the outer skin, revealing two smaller beans. ( Tedious, but worth the effort) 2. Combine the beans and all the remaining ingredients, and toss to blend. Serve immediately.

Note: you can apparently saute the leftover beans and cheese with a bit of olive oil for a warm appetizer (I've never had leftovers)

The French eat the tiniest beans raw, sometimes with a sauces of fromage blanc [a sort of cheese a bit like yoghourt]. Here in England we tend to eat them a bit larger, boiled and served with a parsley sauce [bechamel and finely chopped parsley.] Especialy good with baked ham...that is if you eat meat.
The old ones can be boiled, skinned, pureed with garlic, olive oil, herbs and spices to taste etc and piled on to toast or fried bread.

to be simple, reheat them with a little butter. Or put them in a salad, or cook with olive oil and ripe tomatoes and mushrooms and whatever. There are hundred of recipes on the world-wide-web.

If the beans are immature and tiny, they can be eaten raw, without the parboiling and skinning step. Carolyn Stone



Thought you might like these...

FAVA BEAN AND SHRIMP SALAD
Serves 4


1/2 Pound Medium Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined 1 Pound Fava Beans
1/2 Pound Small Green Beans
2 Heads of Fennel
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Lemon
1 Large Tomato, Finely Diced

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon Of Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Of White Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Tablespoon Capers
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Shell the fava beans, discarding the pods. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain and place in an ice water bath. Prepare the green beans in the same manner, set aside. Poach the shrimp in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove.
Remove the tops from the fennel, as well as any brown outside pieces. Slice thinly lengthwise. Place in a large pan with the white wine, lemon, chicken broth, and enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Make the sauce adding all the ingredients into a blender and pulse. On each of four plates, arrange first the fennel slices, then the shrimp, and beans in an attractive manner. Scatter the diced tomato around the plates and then drizzle each plate with some of the dressing. Decorate with some fennel fronds, and serve.


FRESH FAVA BEANS WITH PANCETTA
(Fave fresche con pancetta)

4 lbs. fresh fava beans
º lb. pancetta, diced
1 Tbs. oil
1 cup beef broth
1 onion, thinly sliced
salt, pepper
1 celery stalk, diced
2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Shell the fava beans (remove the skin if they are very big).

Saute the pancetta, the onion and the celery in a saucepan with the oil, stirring frequently. When the fat of the pancetta has melted, add the fava beans, moisten with hot broth and continue to cook.

When the fava beans are completely done (about 20 mins.), salt, pepper and sprinkle with chopped parsley.


FAVA BEANS AND PASTA WITH PEPERONCINI
(Macca)


8 oz. dried fava beans
3 oz. spaghetti
1 onion, finely sliced
2-3 peperoncino, drained, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
6 Tbs. olive oil
salt

Let the fava beans soak in water for at least 24 hours, 48 if possible. Drain and remove the skins. Put 1 qt. of water in a pot with the fava beans, the onion and the peeled, seeded, chopped tomato. Salt, cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hours or until the fave begin to fall apart.

Break-up the spaghetti into 1" pieces. In a separate pot cook the pasta in plenty of salted water. When al dente, drain and add them to the fava beans.

Add peperoncino and olive oil, mix well and serve.


UMBRIAN FAVA BEAN STEW

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shelled, peeled fava beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
11/2 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves
11/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes Salt, pepper

Cook oil, beans, onion, celery, carrot and chard over low heat in medium saucepan.

When beans are quite tender, after about 45 minutes, add tomatoes and cook another 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes four servings.


Buon apetito,
Giuseppi Luigi Pasquale Seals
(yep, my real name)
(We all know him as JOE Seals)


sautee the beans (they are a very beautiful green) in olive oil with garlic and fresh tarragon. Nice! I don't eat them much because my body finds them hard to digest, but they are very tasty. Anni J


 blanch them for a minute in boiling water, strain and eat them with whatever you like on them - butter, olive oil, balsamic vinegar. Or toss them in with sauteed vegis near the end of cooking, or eat them mixed with pasta. some folks smush them up to make some kind of paste like hummus.
If they are mature, the seeds will have a tough outer casing, and you'll have to pop that off after you cook them, and before you eat them. Kind of time consuming, but can be fun to eat them with your hands one at a time. Reeta


My foodie friends say to peel them, saute in olive oil with garlic and eat. Also mash them into a paste and use as a dip with toasted pita triangles. I know they are also used in soups.

Try SOAR for more. It's www.recipesource.com.



I never feel I have much expertise to offer in gardening, but food I know.

Favas, if young, can be eaten raw and are often a part of antipasto platters. The whole bean is put in a dish and people shell out the beans and peel them as they go. If you want to cook them, shell them and blanch for 30 seconds. Peel off the skin on the bean itself. You can kind of squirt them out fairly quickly. A dish of them, dressed with your best olive oil, is awfully good eating. Rewarm cooked beans quickly in butter, liquid or oil. The 30 seconds of blanching will just about cook them completely unless they are older (still good) or very large. They are lovely in a pasta primavera. They can be cooked with bits of ham or bacon.
They can be gratineed with cream sauce and cheese. At our house, we like them on homemade pizza with bacon, chives, and some parmesan or asiago. They have a real affinity for cream and garlic. Think lima bean, but quicker cooking.

Best regards-Madelin


After removing the favas from the pods, peel the skin off the beans either raw or after blaching for a few seconds in boiling water.(Some people eat them with the skins but they are bitter.) Then cook them gently in a pan with a little olive oil, some chopped garlic, chopped herbs such as savory or thyme. Other spring vegetables like asparagus or small artichoke hearts can be cooked with them. Add a few drops of water to produce a little steam. Mashed favas with a squirt of lemon juice make a tasty crostini.

Bon appetit
Susan
 


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Nan Sterman                     Plant Soup (TM)
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