Two Fava Bean Favorites Bissara (Fresh Fava Bean Dip) Fava Bean Relish

One of my favorite ways to use fava beans is in succotash.  I saute diced potatoes in a tablespoon of olive oil for perhaps 20 minutes, then toss in the shelled fava beans along with minced garlic and cook for about 10 minutes more, then I stir in corn freshly cut off the cob and some minced flat-leaf parsley.  Add salt and pepper, a little butter, and you've got a one-dish feast.

Here are two other ideas for using that beloved harbinger of spring since the days of ancient Rome, the fava bean.  The first recipe comes from my favorite Middle Eastern cookbook, Kitty Morse's Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Moroccan Kitchen.  The second recipe is from a flyer handed out by a farmer who sold me some fava beans at the Santa Monica, Calif., farmers market.

Bissara (Fresh Fava Bean Dip)

2 pounds fresh fava beans, shelled, peeled if large
3 tb fresh lemon juice
5 tb extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
pita wedges, sliced raw carrots, or crackers for serving

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.  Blanch the beans for 2 or 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.  Peel if the beans are large.

In a blender or food processor, combine half the beans, the reserved liquid and the lemon juice.  (Add more liquid if you prefer a thinner dip.) Process, scraping down the sides with a spatula, until the mixture is fairly smooth.  Add the remaining beans and the oil, and process until smooth.  

Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in the salt and cumin.  Sprinkle with the parsley.  Serve with pita bread, vegetables, or crackers for dipping.

1 1/2 tb olive oil
8 ounces chopped andouille sausage (optional)
1 cup fresh fava beans
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup peeled, chopped plum (roma) tomatoes
1 clove garlic minced
1-2 tb chopped cilantro
salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add the sausage and saute stirring for 2 minutes. Add the beans, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.  This is good with cheese dishes, as well as chicken and fish.

NOTE: One pound of fava beans in the pod yields about one cup of shelled and peeled beans.