Up until a few years ago, my only contact with fava beans had been in Middle Eastern restaurants and in Hannibal Lecter's famous line from Silence of the Lambs. Then a vendor at the Torrance Farmers Market introduced me to them in their unshelled form - long, fat, glistening green pods full of fat, creamy beans.
How did he recommend cooking them? Throw them on the grill in the pods and grill until they are charred and shrunken - by this time the beans inside have steamed in the moisture from the pod. This cooking method prevents the older beans from developing the tough skin that forms when you cook them after shelling. We like to eat them straight from the grilled pod as an appetizer, but they also make wonderful salads, side dishes, and an alternative to hummus.
Serves 3-4.
Ingredients:
- 3 lb fava beans in their pods
- 2 scallions, minced
- 1 lemon
- 1 T fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill
- 2 T olive oil
- salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Method:
- Grill or broil the pods until slightly charred and shrunken. When cool enough to handle, remove the beans from the pods.
- While the beans are cooking, mince the zest from the lemon and squeeze out the juice.
- Toss the beans with the remaining ingredients.
Variations:
- Serve the beans warm as a side dish or at room temperature as a salad.
- Toss the beans with pasta or grain as a side or main dish.
- Chop the mixture coarsely and serve on toasts or crackers for an hors d’oeuvre.
- Purée the beans after shelling, then mix in the remaining ingredients for a hummus-like dip or spread.
Do ahead:
- The beans can be prepared up to 48 h in advance—leave in the pod or shell, then refrigerate, tightly covered.
- The dish can be assembled up to 4 h in advance—if you leave it much longer, the acid in the lemon juice will turn the beans an olive green or brown.
