With my vegetable delivery I’ve been getting this summer, my favorite part is finding new ingredients I’ve never tried before. And when a handful of gargantuan fava bean pods came one Monday morning, I knew I’d need help knowing what to do with them. Luckily, I knew just who to ask–my friend and teacher from Seattle Tilth, Melissa Brown. I remembered Melissa nearly drooling when she talked about fava beans and the Portuguese family recipe she grew up eating. And she was sweet enough to send me the recipe so I could enjoy it and share it all with you.
And enjoy it, I did! So delicious! (So much so that I am still stewing over the fact that fava beans have not returned to my vegetable box!) The recipe combines the salty, fatty, smoky goodness of bacon with the sweet, comforting fava flavor, bridged by the fresh, spicy cilantro. Heaven! And I didn’t even make the pork to go with it…Imagine?!
I hope that y’all can still find some favas in the markets or in your gardens before the season is over. Here is the recipe, from Melissa:
- 2 ounces bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1.5 pounds shelled fresh fava beans
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
“In a large heavy saucepan set over low heat, fry the bacon until most of the drippings have cooked out and only crisp brown bits remain. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon bits to paper towel. Add the onion to the drippings and saute, stirring now and then, about five minutes. Add the beans and the water, cover, and simmer 20-25 minutes until beans are tender and no longer taste starchy. Can add more water if needed. Drain off any excess water, if any, add the bacon bits, salt, pepper, and cilantro, and toss. Serve hot with roast pork or poultry, or try it cold! I also have thought of putting garlic scapes in with the onions, since they’re in season and go so nicely with favas and bacon!”
- Melissa Brown, teacher, chef, and gardener extraordinaire!
