Everyday Systems

Do you guys get fava beans around your favourite food outlet these days?

If so, this is very good and original.
It cooks the whole bean, pod and all, not discarding anything.

Adapted from
http://localfoods.about.com/od/sidedish ... abeans.htm
I mainly streamlined it to its essentials, as I believe in KISS cooking (and in cook kissing).

about 10 fresh fava beans, to cover pan, whole
2-3t olive oil
1/4 cup boiling water
0.5t salt

Snap the end of the fava bean pods and pull off the stringy bits that run down the sides. Both sides.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.
Add the fava pods. Stir to coat.
Add 1/4 cup boiling water and salt.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and lower heat.
Cook, no stirring, until the fava pods are fairly tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Watch out for the liquid drying up, and add some (hot) as called for to keep moist.

Relish.

I refuse to eat 'Hannibal the Cannibal's' side dish.

I love fava beans. They're quite difficult to get around here and I was never really certain how to cook them. Sometimes I buy them canned and add olive oil, lemon juice, diced onion. Not the same as fresh but still good.

My local greengrocer does not stock fava beans (called broad beans here) but they are sold frozen. I just microwave them plain and then burn my finger squeezing them out of the pods and eating them.

They are delicious. I should put them in my vegetable patch but beans and peas take up a lot of space.

e-lyn wrote:I love fava beans. They're quite difficult to get around here and I was never really certain how to cook them. Sometimes I buy them canned and add olive oil, lemon juice, diced onion.

I see e-lyn.
Too bad about not getting them fresh.
If I'm not mistaken, the season is short.

As to canned, it's really a different beast.
It's dried and cooked.
Like making chickpeas, say.
They're excellent like that, I so agree with you, but it's just a different veg, kind of.
Like, say fresh and dried figs, or fresh and canned garden peas, to hit closer to the mark.

Dried and cooked, they're a middle-eastern staple.
Egyptian have them for breakfast.
In Israel, borrowed from around, they adorn and garnish rich hummus plate, enthroned in the middle, in a puddle of olive oil.

Like your recipe.
Would garlic instead of the onion please you?

Yes....garlic, onion...I like it all. I've tasted fresh favas and you're absolutely right, they're nothing like the dried kind. I have a friend who gives me fresh ones every once in a while. I'll try your cooking method the next time.

I see, e-lyn.

As you please, but, if you share, will be great.

jackn wrote:Do you guys get fava beans around your favourite food outlet these days?

If so, this is very good and original.
It cooks the whole bean, pod and all, not discarding anything.

Adapted from
http://localfoods.about.com/od/sidedish ... abeans.htm
I mainly streamlined it to its essentials, as I believe in KISS cooking (and in cook kissing).

💗 Yeah, cook kissing is the best way to season one's food! ha!

I just love fava beans, though I've never had to strip them from their pods,l though I have cooked them from dry. They are yummy...just about the best flavor ( after garbanzo beans)

Hey, bunsofal, sure sounds like you know your way around spices.