"fava beans" news and stories

Towards the middle of spring, fava beans or as the English call them -- broad beans -- can be found at farmer's markets across the country. Their rich buttery texture and heavenly nutty taste not only complement meats, fish and other fruits and vegetables, but also make them standouts on their own.

Fava beans are eaten around the world as a snack and as a full meal. They're used as essential ingredients in meals ranging from salad to pork shoulder to bean paste. In the Middle East, fava beans are crushed in a sauce and eaten for breakfast in a dish called "ful medames."

In Iran, fava beans are conserved in metal cans and eaten throughout the winter with salt and pepper. They can also be fried and eaten as a delicious crunchy snack, as done in Mexico, Peru, China and Thailand.

Below are eight recipes for fava beans:

1. Grilled Fava Beans with Chile and Lemon
2. Sizzling Halloumi Cheese with Fava Beans and Mint
3. Fava Bean Salad with Roasted-Garlic Vinaigrette
4. Fava Bean Soup
5. Halibut on Mashed Fava Beans with Mint
6. Garlic-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with Spring Vegetables
   
7. Ravioli Stuffed with Fava Beans, Ricotta and Mint with Brown-Butter Sauce
8. Lemon- and Garlic-Roasted Chicken with Fava Beans, Radishes and Pecorino

When I was growing up, we ate a whole world of vegetables. Artichokes, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, potatoes, cabbage, string beans, beets, spinach, squash and mushrooms regularly crossed our plates. Because of this early initiation into the world of veggies, when I moved out into the world on my own, I cooked for myself happily and with great variety.

However, as I started shopping at Farmers' Markets and local produce stands, I discovered that for as many vegetables that were old friends, there were still just as many I had yet to explore. So I made a point of trying out new veggies, trying not to be turned off simply because things were unfamiliar (my grandmother Bunny would have been so proud).

Earlier this week, I decided to take on the fava bean. Favas first entered my awareness when I was nine, because that was the year that Silence of the Lambs came out and even though I didn't see the movie until years later, it was hard to avoid the infamous line in that movie that includes a reference to fava beans. I'd seen the beans, in their huge, fuzzy pods, at my local produce market for the last couple of springs, but I'd never purchased them, mostly because I had no idea what to do with them. But on Monday, I decided to be brave and bought two pounds.

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We usually turn to fellow bloggers for our food porn shots, but this salad at Epicurious.com looked so tasty that I had to share. The ingredients are simple: just combine asparagus, fava beans, arugula, sliced Pecorino Romano cheese, and a mix of olive oil and balsamic for the dressing. They also suggest that you can use shelled edamame in place of the fava beans, though I would be inclined to add both, myself. You can check out the complete recipe at their website via this link.

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Whether you are celebrating Passover, or simply just Spring, the LA Times Food Section takes a look at some decadent desserts, one-pot meals, and even recommends a wine to sip while enjoying the extended daylight hours.

• Finding a cake that is both simple to prepare and looks elegant isn't an easy task, yet Avenue's Walnut Cake will do just that

• I'll forever think of Anthony Hopkins when someone mentions fava beans, but this recipe for Creamed Fava Beans with Tarragon is almost enough to block the image

• Tossing everything into one pot and letting it cook is a great way to enjoy more of the Spring weather, thanks to this recipe for Pot-roasted Lamb with Fennel and Potatoes

• How to prepare a Sephardic Passover feast, with recipes for Friday Night Brisket, Pesce in Carpione (marinated white fish with caramelized onions and pine nuts), and Keftes de Prasa (beef and leek croquettes)

• Austrian white: Grüner Veltliner, complements the season's freshest menus.

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For consumers who want to stick with local products, the produce section at the market will be stocked through the end of October. It only takes some imagination to know what to do with autumn's bounty, which includes things from apples to winter squash. The Tribune gives tips on how to store these fruits and vegetables, and offers a few recipes: Pumpkin Jam, Spiced Oragnic Carrot Soup, Vanilla-scented Kohlrabi with Creamed Greens, and Duck with Pear-Cardamom Puree and Caramel Almonds.

Fresh Picks offers home-delivery of fresh, locally grown, organic foods, something that larger online grocers only touch on. For a tradtional organic market, try Sunflower Market.

Other food features and recipes: Penne with Red Pepper and Fresh Herbs, Chanterelles, Stewed Fava Beans, and Vietnamese-style Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Lime-Pepper-Salt Dipping Sauce.