spring fava beans with pesto & brown rice spirals
every time i think about what to cook in the spring time (
yipee! loooonger days, warmer days, brighter days, and...more fresh local produce days) i seem to think
greeeen
food! right now there's nothing that makes my mouth water more than minimally processed fresh green produce in our meals. that's why when i came across the beautifully glistening fava (broad) beans at the market yesterday i couldn't wait to add them to our dinner menu. these beans were particularly tender, so i decided to boil the larger ones in their skins as an
appetizer served with lime and angelica seeds, and use the smaller ones in a quick and easy brown rice pasta dressed with home made lemony pesto (
the basil is looking/tasting amazing at the moment). the trick to double peeling these beans (
relatively) easily is to remove them from the outer skin (
or pod) and quickly boil them in water for just a few quick minutes (5-7) before popping them out of their inner skins by pressing lightly on one end. i'm not sure about you, but i find these types of tasks oddly relaxing and get through them rather quickly (
alternately you can purchase double peeled frozen fava beans at most middle eastern markets). having tasted (
and consumed way more than intended) the dish last night, i urge you to make some before the season is over-it will be sure to please your taste buds!
ingredients for 2-3 servings:
- about 1/2 cup double peeled quickly boiled (5-7 minutes, see above) fava beans
- 1-2 zucchinis, finely cubed
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1 small bunch fresh basil leaves (thinly sliced-chiffonade)
- 1-2 tbs home made lemony pesto (see recipe)
- 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tbs creme fraiche or cream
- sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup or so brown rice pasta, cooked per package instructions
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
1. prepare the fava beans (peel out of outer pod, then quickly boil and peel again) and set aside. heat 1 tbs olive oil in a saucepan, then add the cubed zucchinis and garlic with salt and pepper, stir fry for about 5-7 minutes until tender. at the same time boil salted water and start cooking brown rice spirals.
2. add cooked & peeled fava beans to the tender zucchinis and stir fry together (stirring gently) for about 2 minutes, then add the
pesto sauce and combine well for about a minute or two.
3. add the cream and remove from the heat after stirring everything together carefully for a minute. add the basil chiffonade, stir again. drain the cooked pasta and add to the sauce. stir carefully together and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese. bon appetit!