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Preparing and Cooking Fava
Beans
My favorite fresh beans are tender, green
fava beans, perhaps because they're such a fleeting treat. One week the beans
are tiny and tender, the next they're an inch long, and before you know it,
they're fit only for drying. Fava beans, like green peas, begin their season
in late spring, when the weather is warming up but not yet hot.
When buying favas, their pods should be firm and full. Favas come naturally
packed in amply padded shells, which means you need to buy a large amount
of beans to have any volume left after shelling. Five pounds will yield about
2 pounds of shelled beans, or 3 cups peeled cooked beans. With any luck,
you'll have children or friends around to help.
To cook favas, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, then the beans,
and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender and bright green. Drain and scatter
on a baking sheet to cool. Peel off white skin by pinching through the skin
opposite the growing tip. Then press the growing end of the bean between
two fingers and the bean will slip out. Put the peeled beans in a non-reactive
bowl. They will keep for several days in the refrigerator. |
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