FAVA BEAN PUREE WITH MINT

Another beautiful day in New York; spring is definitely on its way.   I spent some time this afternoon going through all the e-mails I have received from different people asking for recipes, ideas for meal planning and a lot of different things.  There were also a lot of questions about fava beans.  So today I am going to explain fava beans, a bean that is greatly underused and under appreciated.

There are a lot more uses for fava beans than just enjoying then with a nice bottle of Chianti!

Fresh fava beans have an extraordinary flavor like no other bean.  The early beans of spring are small, tender, and a delicacy in soups, salads, and pastas. Larger, more mature, and starchy favas are better suited to longer cooking and make a brilliant green puree to spread on crostini, which makes for a great appetizer or first course.

Fresh fava beans are prized for their meaty, earthy taste, not dissimilar to that of lima beans. Here, fresh mint is used, but chives or tarragon can be used in its place.

Fava beans require a little extra effort to shell and peel before cooking, but they are well worth it. First they must be stripped from the large green spongy pods, and then each bean needs to be peeled to remove the skin.

FAVA BEAN PUREE WITH MINT

INGREDIENTS

2 to 3 pounds of Fava beans in the pod

About 1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

Salt

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 to 2 teaspoons chopped mint

Fresh-ground black pepper

SHELL THE BEANS

Heat a pot of water to boiling. Blanch the beans briefly (for 30 seconds or so) to loosen the skins.  Drain and cool in ice water to preserve their bright green color. Peel the beans; use your thumbnail to tear the skin at one end, and then squeeze to pop out the bean.

DIRECTIONS

Heat about 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the beans, water, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook the beans gently, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until very soft.

Add more water if needed to keep them moist and loose. Mash the beans to a paste with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Make a well in the center of the pan and pour in another few tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the garlic and mint to the oil and cook gently.  When the garlic starts to sizzle and release its fragrance, stir the mixture into the beans.

Season with a few grinds of pepper, taste and add more salt, olive oil, or water as needed.

COOKS NOTE: FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT LIKE MINT, YOU CAN ALSO USE ROSEMARY.