The How and Why of Fava Beans

Have you ever seen these long beans at your local Farmer’s Market and wondered what in the world you would do with them when you got them home? Fava Beans, also known as Broad Beans, are very popular in Mediterranean cuisine. They are actually of the pea family and are normally shelled and peeled prior to eating. They make a beautiful plant that grows bushy and tall with purple spotted white flowers. The plants are also used as a cover crop to add nitrogen to the soil by mulching the roots back into the ground.

This is the second year that I have grown them in my winter garden and they grew quite full and hearty both times. I did some additional research on the use of the crop and found that in many European countries, they actually do not shell or peel them at all. If you have a crop of younger beans, you can actually cook them whole and enjoy the entire bean, which is quite delicious! I used the beans this year in three different forms. I grilled them whole after tossing them with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt and red pepper. I made them in a casserole of fresh artichokes and unpeeled beans. I also served then in a salad blanched and peeled the way most American’s eat them. Here is a peak at some of the processes and results to give you a closer look at the details.

I selected beans that were not overly large to ensure that the beans were young and tender for my grilled version of them. They were delicious and tender cooked whole and easy peasy to do!

This is the way that the beans look when you shell them from their pods. Depending on their maturity, they vary in size. They have a pale green color and a skin type coating on them. They are fine to eat like this, cooked for your recipe, however many people prefer to take the skin off before eating them. I used them in this form in an Artichoke and Fava Bean casserole and it was quite tasty!

Here is a bowl of Fava Beans that have been blanched in salt water for approximately 2 minutes and then pinched and squeezed out of their outer skin. It is a simple process however a bit time consuming since they need to be done individually and somewhat carefully to keep them intact. They are little jewels of delicate flavor and certainly worth the effort!

The third way that I served my Fava Beans was in a fresh salad made with shelled, peeled, blanched Fava Beans, sliced radishes and Pecorino Romano cheese slivers tossed with a fresh lemon vinaigrette dressing. Yum! Simple, fresh, light and incredible!

Please check them out when you see them at your local market or grocery store. You can add them to your soup, salad, pasta or rice recipes. They are very versatile and can be a delicious, healthy addition to your food repertoire!