Fava Beans And Colorful Chard

It was a fairly uninspiring Farmer’s Market, I kind of expected that-plus I had an attitude that matched the weather, kind of dark and overcast. That record breaking warm weather last week really got me in the mood for some sunshine.

Yep, Definately Organic

At the first booth was a massive mound of the brownish green broccoli I’ve seen in a long time. After circling the lot I ended up with some good looking colorful chard and a pound and a quarter of Fava Beans.

I really haven’t cooked with Fava’s before, in fact the closest I’ve come to a Fava Bean before this weekend was watching Hanibal Lector, in Silence of the Lambs““ a census worker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with Fava Beans and a nice Chianti. Fufufufufufut.” .

I made wilted greens with a couple slices of bacon all chopped up, cooked down, and drizzled with some balsamic.

The Fava’s required some labor! I mean you really have to want those little green hearts to be willing to dig that deep. First I shucked the pods and pulled out the seeds. The pods themselves were very cool. They are about 6 inches long and require pulling the strings on at least one, if not both sides of the pod. Inside the seeds sit in a poofy little room with more padding than a Fed Ex glassware package. Once the seeds are all removed you must drop them in boiling water for 3-5 minutes just until the white, paper-like covering is loose. At that point you plunge the entire mess into an ice bath. Peel the covers and you are at the heart of the Fava.

I then pureed the Fava with a tablespoon or so of olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. This I topped on some garlicky bruschetta that I freshly toasted. Amazing, so rich and buttery.


Fava Beans have been found in some of the earliest-known human settlements. Most often associated with Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern cuisines, the Chinese have also enjoyed them for more than 5,000 years. They are also known by an amazing variety of other names: Broad Beans, Windsor Beans, Horse Beans and even Pigeon Beans.

The mild climate of the central coast makes the perfect growing condition for these beans.

Not everyone loved Fava Beans. Pythagoras told his followers to avoid Fava Beans.
For some people, we now know, fresh fava beans can be poisonous. This fairly common genetically transmitted condition called favism, was recognized only at the turn of this century and has been explained fully just in the last decade.

Whether the poisonings were the basis of Pythagoras' pronouncement or not, no one can say for certain. While today's cults seem determined to tell all about their religious beliefs, the Pythagoreans were notoriously close-mouthed.

Iamblichus tells of the time a group of Pythagoreans were being pursued by their enemies when they came across a field of favas in bloom. Rather than disobey the master's dictates and flee through the field, they were slaughtered. And when two who were captured were questioned about their beliefs, they refused to answer. The husband chose death and the wife, a Spartan, bit off her tongue and spit it at her captors to avoid spilling the beans.

Favas are nutrition superheroes. They are high in fiber and iron, and low in sodium and fat. They have no cholesterol but so much protein, they are called the meat of the poor.

I think these fresh, in season pods would be a great family style dining appetizer served just like Edaname’s in the shell oiled, garlick’d and salted. I found lots of recipes for purees that included butter and heavy cream, that would have been overkill for these already buttery, rich beans.