Gabriel’s Sauteed Fava Beans

Ingredients

• boiling water
• salt
• ice
• tap water
• 2 lbs fresh fava beans, in the pod (yields about 1 1/2 to 2 cups shelled beans)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, to taste
• salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. 1

   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).

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   In a bowl, combine ice and tap water to make ice water; set aside.

4. 4

   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.

5. 5

   Let the beans cool, then peel the outer skin from each of them.

6. 6

   Over medium heat in a skillet, melt together the butter and olive oil, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

7. 7

   Add the peeled fava beans and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are done to your preference.

8. 8

   Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, serve, and enjoy!

9. 9

   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.

10. 10

    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.

11. 11

    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.