Minted Broad Fava Bean Puree Food

SPICY FAVA BEAN FRITTERS WITH LEMON MINTED YOGURT

Steps:

• These fritters make a delicious snack. They not only taste awesome but they look amazing - dark and crunchy on the outside, bright green and soft inside! They're simple to make, and the spiciness just makes them work. This dish is best made with early season, fresh-as-a-daisy, pastel-green fava beans. Or you can use frozen fava beans - simply defrost them and pinch off the skins.
• Boil any larger white-skinned fava beans for 30 seconds, then drain. When cool, pinch their skins off - they'll taste less bitter if you do this. Now whiz the cilantro and half the mint in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper, and then add the spices, chile, fava beans and lemon zest and whiz until finely chopped (stopping once or twice to scrape the mixture off the sides). Sprinkle in the flour and pulse for a few seconds. Don't add any more flour or the mixture will become too dry.
• Get a large saucepan and pour in the vegetable oil until it's 2 to 3 inches deep. Be careful - keep kids and pets away, and make sure the handle isn't sticking out so you don't accidentally catch it and spill the hot oil. Heat the oil. To check whether it's hot enough for frying, drop in the piece of potato - as soon as it sizzles and floats to the top, you're in business. Remove the potato and discard it.
• Cover a plate with a sheet of waxed paper. Scoop up a small amount of the fava bean mixture and either use your hands or 2 spoons to shape it into little rounds, then put them onto the plate. When they're all done, carefully lower 1of them into the hot oil with a slotted spoon and fry until crispy brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. When you've got the hang of it, fry the rest of them - they should all fit into the pan at the same time but, if not, simply do in batches.
• For the lemon minted yogurt, squeeze half the lemon juice into the yogurt. Pick and chop the rest of your the leaves and stir them in, adding salt and pepper, to taste. Dress your salad leaves with a squeeze of lemon juice and some olive oil.
• Sprinkle the fritters with salt and serve with the lemon minted yogurt, the dressed salad leaves and some pickled chilies.

MINTED BROAD / FAVA BEAN PUREE

Steps:

• Remove beans from pods.
• Put into pot of boiling water, return to the boil & cook until tender (approx 8-10 mins for fresh, 3-5 for frozen from when the water begins boiling again).
• Drain & run under cold water.
• Remove the skins (this does not taste as good if you leave them on, so is worth the effort).
• Put the beans, lemon juice & salt to taste in a blender/food processor.
• Pulse until smooth, then add the olive oil, mint & pepper.
• Pulse again, then put into a serving bowl. If it seems too stiff add a bit more oil.
• Cover and refrigerate until used (remove from the fridge approx 1/2 an hour before serving to remove the chill).

FAVA BEANS WITH RED ONION AND MINT (FAVE CON CIPOLLA ROSSA E MENTA )

Steps:

• Cook fava beans with 1 teaspoon oil in boiling unsalted water until tender, 6 to 8 minutes, then drain.
• Cook onions in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add beans and cook until just heated through, then season with sea salt and pepper. Toss in mint. Serve immediately.

CREME DE FAVAS / PORTUGUESE FAVA (BROAD) BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Skin the fava beans (broad beans) and cook them in the chicken stock until they are soft and cooked though.
• Blend, sieve or liquidize, the cooked mixture adding as little olive oil as possible to get a smooth consistency. Add pepper and salt to taste.
• Serve topped with croutons.

FAVA BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Drop the shelled fava beans in the water, and boil five minutes (if the beans are small or medium-size) to eight minutes (if the beans are large). Transfer the beans immediately to the cold water. Do not drain the water in the pot. Allow the beans to cool for several minutes, then drain and slip off their skins.
• Place the skinned fava beans, salt and mashed garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn on the machine, and with the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow stream. Process until you achieve a smooth purée. If necessary, add enough of the cooking water to give the purée a soft, hummuslike consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, taste and adjust seasoning.
• Mound the purée onto an earthenware platter or in a wide bowl. Garnish with olives, and serve with crostini or warm triangles of pita bread.

DRIED FAVA BEAN SNACKS

Steps:

• Heat 2/3 of a cup of vegetable oil or olive oil in a large pan.
• Add 1/2 cup of the halved beans at a time to the oil.
• When favas begin to brown, remove with slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to catch the excess oil.
• Repeat with 1/2 cup.
• When all the fava beans have been cooked, lightly sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper or your fav seasoning.
• They will become crispy when you let them cool off.

FAVA BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil as you shell the beans from: 4 pounds fava beans.
• Blanch quickly in the boiling water and then cool in ice water. Drain and pop the beans out of their skins. Heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan: 1/2 cup olive oil.
• Add the fava beans with: 4 garlic cloves, sliced, 1 branch rosemary, Salt, 1/2 cup water.
• Cook until the fava beans are very tender, stirring occasionally, and adding more water as necessary. The beans are done when they can be crushed easily with the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Mash with a spoon or pass them through a food mill. Stir in: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
• Taste and season with salt as needed. Thin with water if necessary. Serve right away or at room temperature.