Fava Bean Salad

Looking back through my posts from the last few months, I've realized that I actually haven't been providing a lot of usable food information, (that is food information in the form of recipes).  I've been a little obsessed with pickles and pickling (a pickled beet recipe is coming soon - once they've had time to cure and I can verify that they really worked), but pickles are condiments, and not really full meals, and therefore aren't especially useful to someone who's trying to feed themselves or their family.  So it's time for a useful recipe.

Even though it's been a cool and rainy summer in NYC so far I've also been making a lot of different salads.    I got some of the last fava beans from the farmers market last week, and decided that rather than pureeing them into a tapenade or topping for bruschetta, I'd make a salad of some sort.  The edible/non edible ratio of fava beans is pretty low, and you need to get A LOT of whole unshucked fava beans to get a little bit of actual fava beans.  There is the tough outer shell, then a thin inner skin that you need to remove from each bean, so they actually aren't easy beans to make.   I knew it needed to be a salad that had fava beans as a component rather than as the main ingredient.  I like to make bean salads a little ahead of when I serve them so they have time to marinate and soak up the dressing and meld all of the flavors together.

This salad is great as a side to a Mediterranean dinner: Grilled or broiled merguez sausage, cous-cous pilaf and fava bean salad.  Or just use a cracker or a slice of bread and scoop it up.

Fava Bean Salad:
1 1/2 cups of fresh fava beans* (you get about 1/2 cup of fava beans for every pound you buy, so plan on 3 lbs)
1 large radish, diced
1 small red onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 scallions sliced
1/2 large tomato, or 1 small tomato
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
Salt & Pepper to taste
Crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 T dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine or rice vinegar
1/2 t salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 T olive oil

Remove the fava beans from their shells and blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water.  Soak in cold water for 30 seconds then remove skins from the beans.   Steam or pan sear the shelled fava beans for 5-8 minutes. 

Add all salad ingredients including the fava beans to a medium bowl and toss together. 

For the dressing, smash the garlic in a small bowl.  Add the mustard, vinegar, salt and lemon juice.  Mix well.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, mix well, taste for salt.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the fridge for longer.  Serve with crumbled feta cheese and fresh ground pepper on the top.

*The photo is of the version of this I made with Trader Joe's Steamed vacuum packed fava beans.  It was different, but just as good.

Comments

[Jackie at PhamFatale.com]

Love your fava bean salad. It's a well balanced dish, yet still so tasty. I love Trader Joe, it's inexpensive compared to other organic grocery stores. I love their soyrizo, it gave me the idea of making my own. Anyways, check out my bean salad version at http://www.phamfatale.com/id_239/title_Red-Bean-Salad-served-with-a-Spicy-Cilantro-Vinaigrette/

[Kim McGalliard]

Hi Jackie. Thanks for the comment. I love your idea of a cilantro vinaigrette, and I really like your blog. I'm going to try your homemade butter recipe. I can't believe I've never thought of that before!

[Chaya]

This looks like an interesting combination. I am looking for ways to do more with beans.