Fantastic Fava Beans: Cook Once, Eat Twice

No Comments | Written on July 3, 2012 at 5:00 pm, by Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine

Fava beans are the star this week, but they’re not in season for long, so seize the moment and cook up a big batch to try in a couple of new dishes

To be sure, it can be time-consuming to prepare favas (so you might have to enlist some little helpers). First, you need to shell them. Then, they should be par-boiled and, after they’ve cooled, you need to peel the outer layer to reveal the final prize — the bright green bean hiding inside the bean.

Fava beans look a lot like edamame, which are a great vegetable to toss into pasta recipes or a fresh summer salad if you’re pressed for time. My main objective, though, is to have a broad selection of pre-cooked produce on hand in the fridge for a quick healthy meal. Starting with fava beans, when I can get fresh ones.

Day One (dinner): I don’t like to serve too much pasta, just to avoid a lot of empty calories. But this pasta primavera is the exception to my rule. And fava beans are my favorite of all the healthy ingredients. (As you’ll see in the recipe, you can substitute peas or lima beans for favas. Or toss in all three!)

Day Two (first course or light dinner): To start off the next day’s meal, fava bean bruschetta is perfect with a crisp white or rosé. But if you want to take this appetizer all the way to dinner, serve it with a fresh green salad.