Braised Fava Beans Recipes

20 WAYS TO USE FAVA BEANS

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prep a fava bean recipe in 30 minutes or less!

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ARTICHOKES AND FAVA BEANS

Steps:

• If using fresh fava beans, cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain, remove skins, and place beans in a small bowl. Do not cook frozen beans.
• Squeeze lemons into a large bowl of cold water. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove tough dark outer leaves. Using a serrated knife, cut off 1" from top, then trim stem, leaving at least 1/2" intact. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, remove dark outer layer from stem. Cut artichoke in half lengthwise, scoop out choke with a spoon, and discard. Transfer artichoke to lemon water to prevent it from turning brown.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Drain artichokes and pat dry. Add to pan; season with kosher salt and pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until brown and crisp in places, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet. Wipe out pot.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with kosher salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, cook chicken, skin side down, until brown and crisp, 6-8 minutes (do not turn). Transfer to baking sheet with artichokes.
• Reduce heat to medium, add shallots to pot, and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and beginning to soften, 8-10 minutes. Add wine and vinegar and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot; cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Mix in broth, then add artichokes and chicken, skin side up. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Mix in fava beans.
• Serve chicken and vegetables topped with chives and parsley and seasoned with sea salt and pepper.

GABRIEL'S SAUTEED FAVA BEANS

Steps:

• First, shell the beans from the fava pods (I found it's sometimes easier - especially if you're new to fava beans - to open the pods when you run the edge of a knife along the seam, cutting away the tough edge so that the pod halves come apart).
• In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil, then add salt - the amount depends on how much water you have, but it should be very salty, like seawater.
• In a bowl, combine ice and tap water to make ice water; set aside.
• Add the shelled beans to the boiling water and let cook for about 3 minutes, then remove from saucepan and immediately plunge into the ice water to halt the cooking.
• Let the beans cool, then peel the outer skin from each of them.
• Over medium heat in a skillet, melt together the butter and olive oil, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the peeled fava beans and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are done to your preference.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, serve, and enjoy!
• Note: in choosing your fava beans, get the pods that are firm and fresh looking; also, if you're feeling silly, have these along with your favorite liver dish and a nice Chianti.
• Note 2: once you've made these basic fava beans, you can add other delicious items such as caramelized onions or fennel, chunky fresh tomatoes, and/or a bit of chopped proscuitto.
• Note 3: I asked Gabriel if favas could be frozen effectively, and he said that yes, you can shuck them and blanch them for 1 minute at most, then freeze them in a single layer on a sheet in the freezer before putting them into bags; great bright green color and no mushiness in texture; thaw, peel, and use as usual.

BRAISED FAVA BEANS

Steps:

• Chop the onions.
• Place the oil in a Dutch oven, add the onions and braise until transparent.
• Skin, deseed and chop the tomatoes.
• Add the tomatoes, beans and stock granules to he onions.
• Cover and cook for about 30 minutes.
• Add more water if it looks dry.
• Season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley and serve.