Sunday, June 1, 2014

Fava Bean Puree

Adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters,  this beautiful green gem can be added to practically any plate/dish.

(I halved this recipe as I was only cooking for myself...the original is below)

Ingredients

4 pounds fava beans (in their pods)
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 branch fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste


Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to boil as you shell the beans from their pods.

Blanch the beans quickly in the boiling water, then remove within 10 seconds and put into a bowl of ice water.  Drain the beans and pop them out of their white-ish skins.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the fava beans, garlic, rosemary, and water.  Add salt and pepper.  Stirring occasionally, (making sure the garlic/beans don't stick to the bottom of the pot), cook the beans until tender and can be squished underneath a fork or back of a spoon, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove the beans and place into a bowl where you can mash them all with a spoon, potato-masher, or run through a food mill (if you have one).  Test for salt/pepper.  Enjoy!!