I only discovered fava beans (and how much I love them) in the last year or so. I started with dried favas I had purchased from an organic food store in the neighborhood, and I cooked them into a thick porridge, based loosely on a Mario Batali recipe. After soaking the dried beans, you peel them and then cook them for a long time in water, at which point they fall apart and form their own puree. It’s a delicious kind of alchemy, actually.

Favas are traditionally a spring vegetable, but they don’t really show up at the local farmer’s market until summer. To prepare fresh favas you have to peel them twice — once to remove the beans from the pod, and then to peel the outer husk off of the bean. You are left with morsels of tender green gold, with a delicate vegetal flavor. I made a fava bean risotto; risotto is one of my go-to recipes for showcasing new ingredients. I also made a pasta using favas and some golden cauliflower, with a little lemon juice.

This year I thought I’d do something a little different. I made a fava bean pesto by blending boiled fava beans with olive oil, a scallion, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. It turns out the scallion almost overwhelmed the flavor of the favas, so I would leave it out if I make it again. Other than that, it turned out pretty good. Favas have almost a nutty flavor, so I didn’t miss the pine nut component of the pesto.

Posted by Howard

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