Saturday, April 17, 2010

Fava Four Way

By default, I was asked to prepare several dishes using fava beans as part of a Master Gardening demonstration at Villa Montalvo Center for the Arts here in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
After some research, and the help of a great team, here are four ways to prepare them. You can find detailed recipes on the web and all the praises of this nitrogen fixing, super nutritious spring legume. This is a brief post because its a beautiful day my garden beckons.
1. Steam the younger ones, salt lightly, and eat like edemame. The more mature pods can be grilled right in the husks.
2. Make pesto with the leaves and green garlic. Excellent on toasted baguette topped with a fava bean flower.
3.For fava bean salad, husk, then remove the outer skin by blanching, dress with lemon and olive oil, garnish with feta and fresh parsley.
4. To make soup, simply husk and toss the beans into a pot with stock, rosemary, garlic and bacon. Simmer until soft, food process in small batches, reheat and serve with fresh mint or tarragon.
Back to the garden....

4 comments:

  1. Yum! I've never heard of eating the leaves of beans before. What do they taste like? I might have to grow some of these.

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  2. They taste sort of like pea tips....yes you should grow some.

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  3. My computer just freaked out and started opening a bunch of web pages. Anyhow, yes this is convincing. Joey says that they get lots of aphids, though, did you find that?
    Sounds like you are having a good time. Would love to work in the kitchen with you again sometime...

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  4. Haven't experienced the aphid problem yet. I am finding worm casting tea very effective for preventing pests. Yes, we had some good kitchen times, remember making ice cream? Separating all those eggs?

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