The Fava Beans Are Ready!

They're back.  The fava beans, I mean. For the past two years I've discovered the joys of growing my own favas  In fact, I've become almost fanatical about them.  If you like fava beans and have room to grow them, please do. They're one of the easiest crops to grow and harvest, and they improve your soil.  OK, nothing's perfect and there is the peeling problem. If your favas are bigger than a baby lima, you might want to peel them.  And there is the allergic problem--some people get quite sick after eating them. 

I planted my favas last fall and they formed a nice cover crop for the soil in my planting box.  Then, as spring approached, they suddenly began to grow like crazy and are now covered with big pods full of lovely beans.  Today I did my first harvest and within 2 hours, I was eating delicious braised favas.  This is why gardening is worth the effort. Actually, I'm embellishing to call it "effort" to grow favas. They require very little attention. 

Lest you think you need a lot of room to garden, my planting box for the favas is about 5' by 12'.  Because I never walk on the soil, I'm able to use the French intensive planting method and plant the seeds closer than if I used open ground.  I get a good amount of favas from my smallish box.  Last spring, I harvested almost 100 pounds of them. 

Here is a picture of the favas right after being shelled from the large pods.  A bit later, I peeled the beans for this recipe. It isn't necessary if the beans are smallish (about the size of a small lima bean).  I like to peel mine, so I did. If you're confused about how favas are shelled AND peeled, I talk about it in an earlier post and show a picture of a bean in the process of being peeled.  Last year I had the luxury of preparing many different recipes with the beans: soup, pasta, and braised with carrots.  My favorite is the latter, because the sweet flavor and soft texture take center stage. And that's what I did for this first harvest. 

Braised Fava Beans With Shallots

(Adapted from Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking)

2 ounces Pancetta, sliced thin (you can omit this, if you like)
3 pounds unshelled young fresh fava beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons shallots, sliced thin
1/3 cup water or stock (I used rich chicken stock)
Black pepper, freshly ground
Salt

Cut the pancetta into thin match stick strips. Shell the beans and wash in cold water.  If the beans are small enough, you don't have to peel them. But, if you prefer them peeled, blanch them in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes, then plunge into cold water.  Pinch or cut a small slit at the end of each bean and pop the dark green bean out of the lighter green skin.  I just use my fingernail to slit a small hold at the end of the bean and pop it out. Set the peeled beans aside.

Cook the shallots in the oil until they becomes translucent, then add the pancetta strips and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir in beans and pepper. Add stock or water and simmer, covered, on medium low heat.  If your beans are not peeled, it may take 8 to 10 minutes, or up to 15 minutes depending on how young they are.  However, if you use the peeled beans, it will probably only take about 5 minutes to cook them. Add extra tablespoons of water if necessary. When the beans are tender, add salt, and cook for a few more minutes uncovered until the stock or water has reduced by half. 
Serve, with parmesan cheese.

Comments

[gattina]

I'm gasping... FRESH fava!!! And 100 pounds last year!!!!!! The fava (plant) is already so beauitful, I can't take my eye off from that unshelled beans, like gem!

[ann]

yep, I know what I have to do now. I have to go back to the grocery store where i saw the sad pods of fresh favas and buy them. Damn the saddness, they might be as beautiful as yours inside. I must have favas. I need favas. Oh I wish I could have fresh picked favas! Stupid Brooklyn and no backyards. harumph.

[LiberalFoodie]

No Way!! I wish I had a green thumb. They plants, harvest and the dish look great. When do you plant them for harvest in April?

[Glenna]

Yippee! They look so good!

[anne]

Beautiful! I've always wanted to make favas but have been scared away by the preparation technique. Maybe now I'll be brave enough to try it - they look just lovely.

[Susan from Food "Blogga"]

I'm with you--I LOVE fava beans and anticipate their arrival at the farmers' market every year. Unfortunately, because of the erratic weather we've had, my local farmers haven't had any yet. I'm seriously bummed. Perhaps, I need to take a ride to your place...;) Your dish is beautiful!

[aria]

like susan, i have not see the usual loads of favas' at farmers markets this year, sniff! i love how you peel them down to just the tender parts :)

[Doug]

Good looking beans! Makes me wish they were featured more often in restaurants. I guess I'll have to seek out my own this year.

[Kirk]

Hi Sher - You've got quite a green thumb! Over a 100 lbs of favas......that's quite a hill of beans.

[veron]

OMG , 100lbs of fava! It looks delish!

[Mercedes]

Ooh, they look just wonderful. I am so jealous because it is still cold in New York and not spring-like at all!

[Callipygia]

Wow I am so proud of you and your fava garden! They look so good and tender. I find them a bit labor intensive to shell (the inner bit) but it is so different from dried favas and well worth it. Adoreable productive little space!

[Willa]

I planted my fava beans on Sunday. I've actually never eaten them, but I was excited because I had read they contain more protein than other beans. I'm a little less excited now, because I read elsewhere that they are high on the glycemic index. But I am still anxious for them to grow. Beans are the main thing we eat that I can't find grown locally- I mean, everyone has green beans and limas, but no one has the beans I like, or dried beans.

[Tanna]

A hundred pounds! What a marvelous crop! They look really divine and I know they are super healthy to eat.
This looks like a wonderful recipe, thanks.

[begered]

wow, that's a lot of fava beans! my mom grows them every year as well, if you get 100 lbs from your crop...she must harvest 500 lbs! Her crop is huge!I will have to ask her. I must agree, fresh fava beans are so good. I should try growing some next season.

[sher]

Gattina,

Yes, they are wonderful. It wasn't 100 pounds, but nearly that. Of course, that before they were shelled and peeled, which means it was much less after I did that. It takes a lot of favas to have a good sized serving.

Ann,

I feel your pain. I didn't have a place to grow things until 10 years ago. But, you have marvelous places to buy the best produce there in Brooklyn, I bet.

LiberalFoodie,

You can grow great favas even without a green thumb. I planted them in late fall. They kind of slumber along until spring. Then--watch out!

Glenna,

They are!

Anne,

They really aren't hard to prepare--just a little time consuming. But, you can watch TV as you do it. It's rather mindless.

Doug,

I don't think I've ever seen them in a restaurant. But, I bet there are some that do it.

Kirk & Veron,

It wasn't over 100 lbs, but I wish it had been. I'll have to look up the exact amount in my garden notebook. But, once they were shelled and peeled, it was probably half that in weight.

Mercedes,

Thank you. My husband came home and asked if there were fava beans tonight. :) He expects them every night. (But, I do the shelling and peeling!)

Callipygia,

They are labor intensive. It's nice if there are other people helping. People used to sit in groups and do this kind of busy work. It was a
nice way to socialize.

Willa,

I'm so glad you're growing them. I hope you post about them. It is hard to find some types of beans. I love butter beans--and they don't sell them at all in California.

Tanna,

I'm hoping that we get as good a yield this year. It looks like it might not be as big--but we'll see!

Begered,

Ah, I envy you mom! I would like to plant triple the amount--but I don't have the space. You need a lot of favas, I think--because the amount is so much less after you shell and peel them.

[Katie]

I love favas but had no idea they were so easy to grow. Although I usually avoid my garden in winter - it turns into a bog.
They should be at the market soon, can't wait!
I tried dried favas once - not even vaguely the same....

[janelle]

Cool, the pics really helped. We don't have favas available much here so I was always wondering about the double skin and peel thing. Oh, and with Marcella on your shelf, how can you go wrong?

[Jenn]

I'm fairly sure it's illegal to talk about fava beans without referencing Hannibal Lector. I'm calling the police.

[Lisa]

Oh, lucky you! I would give my right arm for fresh ones. I have absolutely no sunny space for it, though. Those look gorgeous; I'm hoping some farmer at the market, which will resume in May, will have some.

Wonderful photos!

[joey]

Those favas are gorgeous!!! I am beyond impressed! I live in a little flat with no garben so this would be a fantasy for me...but, my goodness, I can only imagine how it must be to eat your own fresh favas, especially if they look as picture perfect as yours!

[Mari]

Just in case anyone is reading this still. All of you who live in the city try planting in raised beds. They can be on a patio, deck, any little patch of ground, even a rooftop. Check out pics and info at
natural yards.com

You can get an amazing amount of produce in a small space.