I distinctly associate fava beans with spring. In fact, fava beans are my favorite springtime vegetable, but they are so labor intensive to prepare. Last Friday at the Long Beach Downtown Farmer's Market I picked up half a bag full. I thought that I would have to prepare them as I normally do: taking them out of the pod, blanching them, and then taking off the thin skin. But.....with a quick Internet search I thought I'd found a better way. (That Internet)
Sunday we decided to grill and prepared favas from a recipe (found here) --just toss with salt and olive oil and give them to the grill master--ha,ha I got out that one....or so I thought. I still had to take them from their pods, and get them out of their thin skin--same amount of work just a different cooking technique. We had them as a side to our grilled dry aged beef--fan-cay. Either way--grilled or blanched--they're still spring in a pod.
My favorite fava dish was one I'd had at Region (my one true restaurant love) with fish over favas in a broth. Very simple yet very delicious. I can see it on the plate now all flakey and green and brothy...mmm.......
NPR has a story called Fava Beans: A little Spring on your Plate.
Posted by Carrie at May 6, 2008 02:00 PM | TrackBack