Favas, Favas Everywhere.

In an earlier post I talked about how hard it is to get fava beans here in the Central Valley, so I decided to grow them.  I wasn't sure if I would get any beans at all, but was thrilled to get very good harvests from just a small planting.  I estimate that I harvested over sixty pounds of them in two months.  Of course, that was their weight before they were shelled.  I was shelling favas nearly every day, and we ate them in different recipes three or four times a week.  I finally cleared out the fava bean bed a few days ago and planted eggplant, herbs, and peppers. Here are some of the ways I fixed my fava beans, starting with the best recipe, Pappardella with Fava Beans and Morels.

I saw a version of this recipe in Epicurious, but it used another type of pasta.  De Cecco makes a pappardella noodle that tastes almost as good as homemade, so I substituted it instead.  Pappardella are wide, thin noodles, perfect with the fava beans and morels in this recipe.  This was one of those meals where I loved the dish so much, I made little noices of appreciation as I ate it.   I remember this dish with a great deal of fondness and will dream about fixing it again, no doubt.  If favas aren't available, it can be made with asparagus and baby lima beans.  Here are the rest of the meals I made with the favas in a descending order of "deliciousness". 

I used some of the fava and mushroom mixture on bruchetta.  Delicious!  I wouldn't hesitate to make the mixture just for this.

I've always wanted to make fava bean soup, so this was my moment.  Bob and I both loved this soup and I'll make more of it this week.  It was very simple, with a texture and taste similar to sweet pea and potato soup, but creamier and more delicate.

The most common way I made the favas was braising them in a little stock with garlic and herbs. Summer savory is traditionally used with favas, but I think parsley and basil are good too. Here's braised chicken and favas that I made for one meal. 

I was starting to get desperate, because we were eating favas nearly every day, with no end in sight.  One night I cooked them with rice, as a sort of fava bean Hoppin' John. I hated it, but Bob ate the entire pot--so maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought.  No, on second thought, it was hidious.

I still have a big bag of the last of the favas to shell and cook.  It was a nice experience to deal with a surfeit of favas.  I'll plant them every year from now on.  They're very productive, with no pest damage at all. So, if you like favas and have a little space in your yard, try growing them yourself. 

Pappardella with Fava Beans and Morels   (Adapted from Epicurious)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 oz. dried morels or other wild or
  cultivated mushrooms (about 8 large)

4 scallions, white and light green portions, thinly sliced

Salt, to taste

1 or 2 cups fava beans, blanched for 2 minutes, then shelled and peeled (fresh lima beans or lightly cooked asparagus tips can be substituted)

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

1 lb. pappardella

1/2 cup grated or shaved pecorino romano
  cheese

About 1/3 cup chopped parsley

Soak the morels in hot watercovering them for 30 minutes, then remove from the mushroom water and squeeze dry.  Strain the mushroom water through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to remove the grit and set aside.  Cut the morels lengthwise into pieces about 1/4 inch wide. 

In a large fry or saute pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, scallions, and garlic and saute about 2 minutes. Add the fava beans, and about 1/2 cup of the mushrooms water, cook for  3 to 4 minutes until favas are tender.

Bring a large saucepan full of water to a rolling boil over high heat.  (If you are using asparagus and limas instead of favas, add asparagus to the water and cook for about 3 minutes, then scoop out and add to the saute pan with the morels.  Then add limas and cook until they are done and add to the saute pan.)

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to directions. Drain pasta and transfer to a serving bowl.

Pour the contents of the fry pan over the pasta, add cheese and parsely, and toss well. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6.

Comments

[Kristi]

Wow. These dishes all look so healthy. I love the color of the soup, and I think it's so cool you grew your own beans. Bravo!

[anne]

What an absolutely gorgeous dish! I saw some of these in our local market yesterday and almost bought some. I'm a little leery because my first (and last) attempt with favas several years ago ended up tough and tasteless. Maybe I'll try again! Thanks for the lovely pictures.

[steven]

Wow, sixty pounds of favas. At local prices, that's about $140! Don't forget to take good care of the plants as I think you'll get a second harvest come Fall. If you have any left, Fava,Pea and Mint soup is an option.

[steven]

woops, didn't read for content I guess, I got so excited about the staggering yield. Well you can plant the again I suppose.

[ejm]

Yummm!! Fresh favas are fantastic, aren't they?

That pasta looks fabulous.

-Elizabeth

[Calendula & Concrete]

Oh my goodness, that pappardella dish looks soooooo good! There's a member of our community garden who grows fava beans. They seem to grow pretty well here. I think I might give them a try!

[sher]

Kristi,

Thanks, but this is one crop that pretty much did all the work itself--wait I sure did a lot of shelling. OK, I'm going to pat myself on the back! :):)

Anne,

I'm so sorry that you got bad favas. I hope you have the experience someday of tasting them when they are the way they should be.

Steven,

Yes, I was certainly aware of how much they would have cost if I bought them in the store!! I wish I had a nice big yard like you. I'm sure you remember how tiny yards are here in CA! But, I will plant them again this Fall.

Elisabeth,

Thank you. I do love favas. I shelled the last of them today. Ah well! If I had them any time I wanted, they might not be as exciting.

Christa,

I was so surprised at how easy they are to grow. And harvesting them is sooo easy. None of the hidden pods, like you often have with green beans. The favas are right out there, big as life, shouting at you to pick them!

[Gabriella True]

wow. you grew them? that is beyond fabulous.

Those noodles look so beautiful too.

[steven]

Sher, The yard may be small, but as I remember it, Davis is a beautiful town.

[ann]

how many times do i have to tell you that your blog is the first thing ever (and i mean EVER) to make me seriously (and i mean SERIOUSLY) jealous of the west coast lifestyle?
60 lbs of un-shelled favas?
dear me!
i think even my dyed in the wool east coast mother would begin to feel a little, dare i say, green, with jealousy over such a yield!

[sher]

Gabriella,

I almost feel embarassed at how easy it was to grow them. :) But, thank you. And try those noodles--they are great.

Steven,

Thank you. It's a small town, and relatively easy going. But, it would be nice to have a bit more growing space like you.

Ann,

I should have taken a picture of what it looks like after you shell and peel 20 pounds of favas. It's a lot less than what you start out with, believe me! And I have to admit, my wrist started to bother me from shelling almost every day. Now, that sounds pathetic, doesn't it? I envy you be able to explore NYC.