Featured Ingredient – Fava Beans
Our featured ingredient for this week is one that I had never cooked until last year: fava beans. Before we started shopping the farmers markets, fava beans were an odd legume that got some brief fame from a horror movie back in the early 90′s. Fava beans are often found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes. They are similarto lima beans, with a slightly creamy texture and a bit of a snap when you bite into them.
Fava bean and andouille ragout
Fava’s are one of the most labor intensive foods you’ll find in your Local Choice Foodbox. In order to eat them you first have to blanch them in boiling water for about 5-7 minutes. Once they’ve cooled, then split open the pods and slide out the beans. But no, you’re still not done. Next you must remove the outer membrane of the bean by slicing it open or pinching the bean to remove the innards. Only then can you cook with them.
Despite the amount of work they take, they really are delicious. We’ve used them in risottos several times and you can make a hummus type spread out of them by blending them with some garlic and olive oil. Add them to your favorite stir fries or just throw them in salads. Our featured recipe this week uses the fava beans along with some spicy Andouille sausage from Skagit River Ranch and a few tomatoes.
Fava Bean Ragout
- 1 pound fava beans
- 2 links of Andouille sausage (spicy Italian would also work)
- 2-3 spring onions
- 3-4 plum tomatoes (or other small tomatoes)
- Olive oil
Blanch the whole fava beans in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and cool.
Prepare the fava beans by removing them from the pod and removing the membrane from the beans. Set aside.
Slice the onions, dice the Andouille sausage, and peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes.
In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.
Add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
Add the fava beans and Andouille to the pan and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Lastly, add the tomatoes and cook until heated through.
Serve over pasta, rice, fish, or chicken (or just eat it alone).
Chef’s Notes: We had a hard time even taking a picture of this dish (though we’ll have one for you tomorrow). It was so delicious that we ate it right out of the pan standing around the stove! Andouille sausage from Skagit River Ranch comes fully cooked, so you don’t have to worry about taking an insane amount of time cooking this dish. After all, you’ve spent all that time preparing the fava beans! Spicy Italian sausage would also work well in this dish. If you’re starting with raw sausage, remove the casing and cook it in crumbles. I’d also cook the sausage before you add the onions, favas, and tomatoes.
