While I adore fresh fava beans {a.k.a. broad beans}, I find it hard to justify the time commitment they require.
Mind you, I’m not against making an effort in the interest of great flavor. But unlike fresh pea pods, which are a delight to pop, these particular pods are rather tiresome to rip open, and between the blanching and the peeling that follow, I’m frazzled before I’ve even started to cook the actual dish.
I used to restrict my fava bean eating to restaurants, where I was happy to pay for someone else’s thumbnails to get grimed with green gunk.
Because of this, I used to restrict most of my fava bean eating to restaurant settings, where I was happy to pay for someone else’s thumbnails to get grimed with green gunk.
But then I started subscribing to a vegetable delivery service, and the late spring to early summer crop often includes young fava beans, so I had to devise a counter-strategy.
I found two: the first one is inspired by the way the Japanese prepare edamame, boiled soy bean pods. It’s effortless, and the fava pods can then be served warm or cold, in little bowls, as an appetizer or a side, for each eater to shell and eat himself.
The second consists in tossing whole fava bean pods with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasting them in the oven. The pods become soft and golden, and you can easily tear them open to collect the sweet beans inside. Even better, if they’re young enough you can eat the whole thing, pod and all, a fact sure to appeal to the thriftiest of us.
Have you tried this? Share your pics on Instagram!
Please tag your pictures with #cnzrecipes. I'll share my favorites!
Ingredients
- 900 grams (2 pounds) fresh fava beans in their pod, the smaller the better
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Trim the stem end of the fava bean pods, pulling down the seam to remove the string. Wash thoroughly in a large bowl of fresh water, renewing the water once or twice as necessary.
- Bring salted water to the boil in a large pot. Add the pods, let the water come back to a simmer, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the size of the pods. Check the doneness by opening one pod (caution, it will be hot) and tasting one bean: it should taste sweet (rather than green) but still be a little firm to the tooth.
- Drain thoroughly, toss with salt and pepper, and transfer to one big or several small bowls. Serve immediately, or at room temperature. Each guest can shell his own pods and pop the beans into his mouth, deciding whether or not he wants to first remove the thin pale green skin around each fava bean.
Have you tried this? Share your pics on Instagram!
Please tag your pictures with #cnzrecipes. I'll share my favorites!
Ingredients
- 900 grams (2 pounds) fresh fava beans in their pod, the smaller the better
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil for cooking
Instructions
- Trim the stem end of the fava bean pods, pulling down the seam to remove the string. Wash thoroughly in a large bowl of fresh water, renewing the water once or twice as necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Dry the fava bean pods in a dish towel and put them in a large baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with olive oil, and shake the pan to coat.
- Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the pods are soft and lightly browned. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve, immediately or at room temperature.
- If the pods are small, they can be eaten whole; if they're larger, they'll likely be stringy, in which case you should shell them and eat the beans only. These are most enjoyable when eaten with your fingers, but it's a little messy, so provide napkins and serve them to guests who'll be comfortable with that.
