I noticed chocolate spots on some of my fava bean pods which indicate several types of fungus are setting in - Botrytis cinerea and Botrytis fabae are two culprits that team up together this time of year if the weather has been cool. So, I picked the pods and removed the plants from the garden.Fava beans are so pretty - huge beautiful pale green beans, with a black stripe down the back. (This is the bean in the folklore tale "Jack and the Bean-stock".) There is a thin grey membrane that has to be removed in addition to the outer pod, so shelling them can be time-consuming. I suggest doing this job sitting down, rather than at the sink (which is what I did, at the end of the day, which made me feel utterly exhausted!)
The fava bean originated in Africa and Asia, and became part of eastern Mediterranean cooking around 6,000 B.C. They are so easy to grow and are often used as a cover-crop in winter because the root nodules add nitrogen to the soil. Any clover plant will do the same, however, and they are much easier to turn-over in the spring.
It is very hard to find fresh favas at the market, or even frozen ones for that matter, so it is always a pleasure to cook with them. Most times, I must settle for butter beans or garbanzos. I used a Spanish recipe (Potaje de Chorizo y Garbanzos) to provide inspiration for the main ingredients for the Fava Bean Stew. Then I checked out a Moroccan sauce for a simmering broth. (I use Mandarin oranges and golden raisins for sweetener, rather than the honey.)
Since I had an eggplant, I coated that in breadcrumbs and baked it, and added a mound of Moong Beans on the side. The flavors of this meal were a heady mix of Moroccan harissa, corriander, cilantro, garlic and onion. Using fresh garden vegetables makes it very memorable! Recipes follow:
Fava Bean Stew
Heat olive oil in a large skillet and fry, in order: Onion, garlic, finely chopped yellow pepper, finely chopped red and green chiles.
Add two cups of liquid chicken broth, and a few granules of powdered beef bullion (for the salt).
Add garden vegetables: Finely chopped celery, carrots, green beans, and a little finely sliced kale.
Add the fava beans - about 1 1/2 cups. Don't overwhelm this stew with too many.
Add chorizo, finely crumbled, or Moroccan harissa, or Thai curry paste - all will give that wonderful punch to the broth.
Add coriander, tumeric, cinnamon, paprika, and fresh-ground pepper blend.
As this simmers add golden raisens or currants, finely chopped parsley, and fresh-sliced tomatoes (remove all seeds).
Just moments before serving add Mandarin orange juice, for zest and sweetening. (I buy these by the box-load when they are on sale, puree them up skins and all, then freeze them.)
Eggplant Parmesan
Dip sliced eggplant in beaten egg, then into a mixture of cornmeal, breadcrumbs and Mrs. Dash.
Place them on a baking sheet sprayed with olive oil, and bake for 15-20 minutes on one side. Turn over, sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese, and bake for another 15 minutes on the other side.
Moong Beans
Cook the beans in chicken broth, adding finely chopped carrot, celery, green zucchini, onion and parsley. Simmer gently for about a half hour until all the moisture is gone, adding finely chopped red onion and cilantro at the end. I sprinkle a little 'Bragg Liguid Aminos' to flavor the moong; from soybeans and vegetable protein, it is like soy sauce or tamari, salty.
When I served this meal, George asked, "Why did you use Moong beans? They are so unusual." Well, they were easier to find in my pantry. Right there, middle shelf, in a big bag. I'd inadvertently placed the couscous (which goes with this meal) on my top shelf, where I just didn't notice it. The meal turned out to have a surprise element, definitely noticed and appreciated. I had to laugh, as he served up a second helping.
Today's projects: Straighten the pantry, dig up my hot pepper plants and bring them inside to ripen, and organize the camping gear. We're headin' over to eastern Washington for one final camping trip - 80 degree temps and full sun.
