Julia's Fava Bean Recipes
The following wonderful,
simple fava bean recipes come to you courtesy of my two favorite
farmers, Julia and Andy Griffin.
Julia's Desperation Favas
This works best with freshly picked
young fava beans.- Have children, guests, and/or people hanging around remove fava beans from pods.
- After taking the beans out of the pod but before removing the skins, sautŽ the beans in olive oil with garlic and salt. The skins come half off and the whole thing can be eaten hot over rice, noodles, as a side dish or as a salad if chilled. Enjoy!
Our Favorite Fava Beans
from Julia and Andy
These two recipes are similar to the desperation favas, above, but
these can also be used with larger fava beans, or ones that have
already been stored a few days since harvest.
2 pounds fava beans (unshelled weight
1 to 4 cloves of garlic, chopped and/or:
1/2 cup onions, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 to 4 cloves of garlic, chopped and/or:
1/2 cup onions, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
The simplest version:
Shell the beans and sauté them with the garlic in the heated oil. The skins will come off in the pan. (You can leave them in.) Season to taste with salt and pepper and sever them just like that.
Version #2:
Plunge the beans into boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse in cold water. Remove and discard the outer skin from each bean (it will rub off), so that you have just the bright emerald green bean remaining. Cook the beans in the heated oil with the garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, then eat. We like both versions, and which one we do depends on if we have guests or willing children to help in the extra step of Version #2.
Shell the beans and sauté them with the garlic in the heated oil. The skins will come off in the pan. (You can leave them in.) Season to taste with salt and pepper and sever them just like that.
Version #2:
Plunge the beans into boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse in cold water. Remove and discard the outer skin from each bean (it will rub off), so that you have just the bright emerald green bean remaining. Cook the beans in the heated oil with the garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, then eat. We like both versions, and which one we do depends on if we have guests or willing children to help in the extra step of Version #2.
Fava and Fresh Ricotta Bruschetta
Recipe sent to Julia Griffin from Lou Bustamonte
All I did was cook the favas in low heat
in a tiny bit of water, peel them, and sprinkle with toasted, olive
oil-and-garlic-brushed artisan bread, heaped with farm-fresh
ricotta. I added a little salt and pepper, and that was that.
Amazing!
Antipasto di Fave e Cipolla Fresca
(Roman-Style Raw Fava Beans, Smoked Mozzarella, and Fresh Onion)
(Roman-Style Raw Fava Beans, Smoked Mozzarella, and Fresh Onion)
Adapted from "Verdura" by Vivana La Place
Serves 6
Serves 6
This is a wonderful use for earliest, youngest fava beans! Serve
this springtime antipasto of raw fava beans and new onions with
crisp breadsticks, a sturdy country loaf, or black pepper taralli,
a type of pretzel found in Italian specialty markets, and company
with a pitcher of cool dry wine.
FAVA NOTE: When buying favas to eat raw, select only tender green pods and shell the beans just before serving.
ONION NOTE: Fresh onions have a juicy crispness that cannot be matched by onions held in storage. If you have access to a farmersÕ market or grow your own, use those that have been freshly pulled. (Sweet red onions are especially delicious!) If fresh onions are not available, substitute trimmed scallions.
FAVA NOTE: When buying favas to eat raw, select only tender green pods and shell the beans just before serving.
ONION NOTE: Fresh onions have a juicy crispness that cannot be matched by onions held in storage. If you have access to a farmersÕ market or grow your own, use those that have been freshly pulled. (Sweet red onions are especially delicious!) If fresh onions are not available, substitute trimmed scallions.
2 pounds young fava beans, unshelled weight
A few small leaves of Boston (butter) lettuce
1 small fresh onion Ð or 3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 pound smoked mozzarella
Basket of bread sticks, black pepper taralli, or bread
A few small leaves of Boston (butter) lettuce
1 small fresh onion Ð or 3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 pound smoked mozzarella
Basket of bread sticks, black pepper taralli, or bread
- Shell the favas and mound in the center of a platter. Surround with the lettuce leaves and scatter the onions over the top.
- Arrange slices of the cheese around the edge of the platter. Serve with the bread.