Fava Bean Fennel Salad

INGREDIENTS

2-3 lbs fresh fava beans (1 1/2 to 2 cups shelled beans)

1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced

10 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

2 green onions, sliced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Shell fava beans over a large bowl. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and simmer for a few minutes, until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beans and transfer to a bowl of ice water. The ice water halts the cooking process and keeps the beans a nice, bright green colour.  After a couple minutes, drain the bean and remove the outer peel.

On a platter or In a bowl, combine the cooked fava beans, the sliced fennel, and onions. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the mixture, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan and mint, and toss to mix. Garnish with fennel fronds and/or mint sprigs. Perfect for a summer day!

Bissara (Fresh Fava Bean Dip)

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled
3 Tbsp lemon juice
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
pita wedges, sliced raw carrots, or crackers for serving

DIRECTIONS

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Blanch the beans for 2 or 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Peel if the beans are large.

In a blender or food processor, combine half the beans, the reserved liquid, and the lemon juice. Add more liquid if you prefer a thinner dip. Process, scraping down the sides with a spatula, until the mixture is fairly smooth. Add the remaining beans and the oil, and process until smooth.

Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the salt and cumin. Sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with pita bread, vegetables, or crackers for dipping.

Sauteed Fava Beans

The best way to show off fresh fava beans. Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

Boiling water
Sea salt
Ice water
2 lbs fresh fava beans, in the pod (yields about 1 1/2 to 2 cups shelled beans)
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced, to taste
Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Shell the beans from the fava pods (trying running the edge of a knife along the seam, cutting away the tough edge so that the pod halves come apart).

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil, then add salt – the amount depends on how much water you have, but it should be very salty, like seawater. Have the ice water ready.

Add the shelled beans to the boiling water and let cook for about 3 minutes, then remove from saucepan and immediately plunge into the ice water to halt the cooking. Let the beans cool, then peel the outer skin from each of them.

Over medium heat in a skillet, melt together the butter and olive oil, then add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the peeled fava beans and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are done to your preference. Season to taste with salt and pepper.