A new family FAVA-rite
After I read about the nationwide study that suggested that children exposed to higher levels of pesticide found in commercially grown fruits/veggies are more likely to have ADHD than children with less exposure I started making a serious effort to buy all of our fruits and vegetables through our local CSA and farmer’s market. A wonderful side effect of this is that we are always eating things that are in season, and are eating things that weren’t previously staples in our diet.
A perfect example is the fava bean (or broad bean as it is commonly referred to). A few weeks ago, I ordered fava beans through our CSA knowing that I had never in my life eaten one, let alone tried to execute a fava bean recipe. Luckily I have a friend here in San Francisco who is an excellent cook and who specializes in healthy vegetarian cuisine. And the fava bean definitely qualifies as healthy. They are very high in fiber, protein and iron, while low in both sodium and fat. A pretty good combo.
So what did my friend pass along? Well, undoubtedly one of the best things I have tasted in a while! I made this and liked it so much that I went and got more fava beans and made it again. In fact, I even took it to another friend’s house for dinner and it was a hit with their family too – and their 12 month old went CRAZY for it. In a nutshell, it is too good not to share. So here it is:
Our New FAVA-rite Spread
Ingredients:
1/3 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
1 and 1/2 pounds fresh fava beans (when removed from the pods this translates to about 1 and 1/3 cups. Definitely opt for the beans that have been taken out of the pod for you if you can find them because it does take some time to do this on your own)
1 tablespoon fresh mint
1 small garlic clove (peeled)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
some Pecorino Romano cheese for garnish (shaved or shredded)
some of your favorite bread
Take the fava beans out of the pod if you didn’t purchase them that way. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil and add the fava beans. Boil, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Drain and plunge into an ice bath. Peel the outer skin off of the beans and discard.
In a food processor add the fava beans, EVOO, mint, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Puree!
To serve the adults, toast some of that yummy bread and brush some EVOO on it. Slather on the fava bean spread and top with some of the Pecorino Romano cheese and some freshly ground black pepper (and salt if you like). For the kiddies, the fava bean spread served on a spoon is pure perfection. Bon appetit!
