Fava beans are a member of the pea family and are one of the oldest known cultivated plants.
Favas are also known as broad beans, Windsor beans, horse beans, and even pigeon beans. They have been a part of cuisines all around the Mediterranean and the Chinese have eaten them for more than 5000 years.
Fresh fava beans come in large, long (7 to 9 inch) thick pods with a white blanket-like padding inside to protect the jewel-like beans they carry. Vegetable expert Elizabeth Schneider describes them as "sleeping bags for the beans". The beans themselves look like small to medium-sized lima or butter beans.
The fresh beans need to be shelled, then cooked and peeled but, just like fresh green peas, the shelling and peeling is a pleasant social activity.
Risotto with Fava Beans
Provided by FoodFit
Ingredients:
3 cups about Basic Chicken Stock (see recipe), or low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup diced onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fava beans, removed from the pod
Preparation: Cook:50 minutes
1 Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep hot over low heat.
2 Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a separate medium-sized pot. Add the onion and cook until it turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3 Add the rice to the onion mixture, stir and turn the heat to low. Add about 1 cup of the hot stock to the rice mixture, and stir slowly until the stock is absorbed.
4 Continue to add the stock 1 cup at a time, stirring slowly, letting the rice absorb the stock before adding more.
5 While the risotto is cooking, remove the outer shell of each fava bean. Blanch the fava beans in boiling salted water until they are bright green and tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.
6 The risotto is cooked when it is creamy on the outside and slightly firm (al dente) in the center, about 20 to 25 minutes in all. Stir in half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the fava beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the risotto is too thick, add a little more stock until it becomes creamy.
7 Divide the risotto into serving dishes and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and fava beans.
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