Fava Frenzy

One of the delicacies of early spring to early summer is the fava bean. We just got the first batch in our CSA basket today. Many farmers and gardeners plant fava beans as green manure, because they are nitrogen-fixing, and like other kinds of peas and beans, they enrich soil fertility if they are plowed back into the soil before they start to product beans. They are also planted as a cover crop. The pods form and mature as the weather warms up in early spring. I enjoy their vibrant green color and meaty texture.



If you would like to learn more about how to shell fava beans (many hands might for light work indeed), please visit our friend Michelle Fleury’s blog, “Getting Your Share”.


Here is one of our favorite fava recipes from the Alice Waters cookbook “Chez Panisse Vegetables.”



Fava Bean Puree



2 pounds mid-season fava beans

½ to ¾ c. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic

¼ bay leaf

1 small sprig rosemary

1 sprig thyme

½ lemon



Put a large pot of water on to boil. Shell the fava beans; discard the pods. Parboil the shelled beans for 1 minute. Drain them and immediately plunge them in ice-cold water for a few minutes to cool. Drain them again and remove their pale green skins, piercing the outer skin of each bean with your thumbnail and popping out the bright green bean inside with a pinch of your thumb and forefinger. Warm about ½ c. of the olive oil in a shallow, nonreactive sauté pan. Add the beans and salt lightly. Add the garlic, peeled and chopped very fine; the herbs; and a splash of water. Cook the beans at a slow simmer, stirring and tasting frequently, for about 30 minutes, until they are completely soft and pale green ad easily mashed into a puree. Add another splash of water from time to time to prevent the beans from drying out and sticking to the pan.



When the beans are done, remove and discard the herbs, and mash the beans into a paste with a wooden spoon – or pass them through a sieve or a food mill or puree with a food processor. Taste for seasoning and add more olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice to taste. If he puree is at all dry and tight, add still more olive oil. Don’t be stingy with the oil; good olive oil is as important to the flavor of the puree as the beans. Serve warm or at room temperature, by itself or spread on grilled bread.



Makes about 3 cups.