Fava Bean Ragu

I never worked at Chez Panisse, but I have quite a few friends who have. All those with kitchen internships describe their time at Chez Panisse as a time shucking favas.

Preparing favas, first shucking, then peeling the skins, is time-consuming - though, if you have company, doing this task becomes social and festive. Plus, I do love the tactile experience of freeing the slippery bright green beans first from their beautifully fleecy pods and then from their rubbery shells.

Our neighbors, Rich and Caitlin, gave us these beauties grown in their garden next door. We combined this local loot with our haul from Riverdog Farm and a fava party we did have! Tossing this ragu over pasta with some shaved Piave and lots of fresh ground pepper made a rich and luscious dinner on its own. My friend Phyllis at Dash and Bella introduced me to Piave, which tastes like a sweet young Parmesan. Phyllis shaves Piave into a delectable Fennel and Asparagus Salad. If you can get your hands on some of this cheese, it is a great match with the favas, otherwise Parmesan, Pecorino, or even a fresh ricotta are good substitutes.



INGREDIENTS
adapted from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Vegetables

• 3-4 pounds Fresh Fava Beans in their pods
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• olive oil (about a 1/2 cup)
• salt 
• pepper
• 1 lemon
• Optional: pasta 
• Optional: Piave, Pecorino, or Parmesan

To prep the favas, set and pot of water on the stove to boil while you (and a friend or two) remove the pale green beans from their pods.  Then parboil the beans in simmering water for 1 minute. Remove beans and set aside to cool. When the beans have reached a manageable temperature, peel off the rubbery pale green skins and you will have bright green favas inside. (Using your fingers, pinch an opening at one end of the skin and then squeeze the favas out.) Before you know it you will find your own rhythm in this process.

Place the naked favas in a saute pan with an equal mixture of water and olive oil so the beans are just covered. Add the rosemary and garlic, then season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, continue stewing for about 5 minutes or until the favas should be tender. Squeeze a half lemon into the ragu and salt again to taste.

We served the favas over fettuccine with shaved Piave and tons of fresh ground pepper.

Serves 4


Note: If you have leftover Fava Bean Ragu, serve it as part of an antipasto platter with Burrata, and prosciutto.

Lemony Lentil Soup

 

I discovered this elegant recipe at the gas station.

Really.

After filling up my '79  at our funky local gas station Biofuel Oasis, I took a few minutes to peruse their goods. At Oasis they sell chicken feed, canning equipment, seeds, and books on food. By the time it was my turn to be rung up, I had a handful of books to purchase. Soup Love with its simple recipes and charming home-grown look was irresistible.

A Lemon Lentil Soup was first on my list of recipes to make and it suits the season. The spring rains are back and I felt the need for a warm soup yet I am still yearning for the bright flavors of Spring. Plus I had every single ingredient at home without needing a trip to the market. It was meant to be.

As I sit here writing, I am enjoying the lemony finish of every bite.


INGREDIENTS 
adapted from Soup Love by Rebecca Stevens and Nabil Samadani

• 1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 celery ribs, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
• 2 cups red split lentils, rinsed
• 8 cups water
• cilantro and parsley leaves for garnish
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over low heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, bay, lemon zest, cumin, coriander, cloves and 1 teaspoon salt. Stew covered over low heat until veggies are soft.

Add lentils and water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until lentils are tender. Generously season with lemon juice. I didn't find the need for any additional salt, but feel free.

Serve with a thin slice of lemon. Pass around fresh parsley and/or cilantro for topping.

Thank you Soup Love.

Dal with Golden Lentils and Coconut Milk

Not everyone lucks out with neighbors, but we really did. When the house next door went up for sale, we began elaborate plans for a fence to insure our privacy. Thankfully, technical difficulties stalled our progress. Once the new owners moved in we knew we were lucky: two great kids, plus friendly parents who love food and gardening, inspired us cut a hole in our hedge so we can say hello or share some fresh herbs with ease.

These wonderful next-door neighbors had us over for an Indian feast a few months ago. They made delicious fresh dosa and an incredible dal. With every bite, I savored the subtle and surprising coconut flavor that permeated the dish. After I got their recipe, I immediately made a big pot of dal and relished eating it for many lunches with rice and steamed winter greens.

INGREDIENTS
Adapted from New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant

• 1 1/2 cup dried lentils
  
• 4 1/2 cups veggie stock or water
• 2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
  
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 garlic clove minced or pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot chili pepper flakes or cayenne or 1 small fresh hot chili minced
• 1 cup coconut milk

Cook lentils in water or stock with salt and 1 teaspoon turmeric. When peas are tender, drain, but keep cooking liquid and set aside.

Saute onions with veg oil, garlic, cumin, 1 teaspoon turmeric, pepper, and chilis, until onions are golden. Stir constantly.

Mix onions with cooked lentils and reheat slowly. Then add coconut milk. Stir and warm all ingredients. Add some reserved cooking liquid if the dal is too dry or thick.


Serves 4-6

Cannellini Bean Soup with Wilted Greens

A hearty white bean soup is the perfect winter meal for me. P and I have tried many recipes over the years and have never found them satisfying. Finally, with this recipe from Alice Waters' always-brilliant Chez Panisse Vegetables, we have found the Cannellini bean soup for us. We had to share with you.

We used two different greens for our soup and doubled what the recipe called for. I bought some vibrant dandelion greens at Monterey Market and we grew these stunningly dark and delicate mustard greens in our backyard. It feels good to finally be able to eat something from our sleepy winter garden.




INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 1 small carrot, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cup dried Cannellini beans (or Great Northern Beans)
• one chunk of prosciutto
• 2 medium tomatoes (we used cherry tomatoes instead)
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 bunch spicy greens: dandelion, mustard, arugula, turnip... (Waters only called for one bunch of greens, but I think this soup can handle two.)
  
• olive oil
• dozen sage leaves
• Parmesan cheese, shaved
  

Submerge beans in water and soak overnight.

In your soup pot, cook carrots, onions, and garlic with 1/4 cup olive oil and a splash of water. Stew until translucent. Add soaked beans, bay, prosciutto and cook a few more minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook a few more minutes. (Waters calls for the tomatoes to be peeled and seeded. We skipped this step and the soup was still delicious.)


Add chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 1/4 hour until beans are cooked through but not falling apart. (We needed to cook our beans longer than this because they were still underdone.)

Meanwhile remove the stems from greens and cut leaves into 1 inch strips. When beans are cooked, add the chopped greens, and simmer for another 10-20 minutes until greens are tender. Remove prosciutto and discard. Salt soup to taste.

While greens are cooking, in another pan, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and quickly fry sage leaves. Set them aside on a piece of paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Top the finished soup with fried sage leaves, Parmesan shavings, and freshly ground pepper.

Serves 6

Lentil Salad

I love lentil salad. You got them beans, once again, and can vary things up depending on what's in season. Because you can get away without soaking lentils, you can make this even when you haven't planned ahead. The most recent incarnation of this salad was taken mostly from The Greens Cookbook, by Deborah Madison and Edward Brown.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups small French lentils
1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch. pieces
1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
2 med red bell peppers, roasted, skinned, and diced
fresh, chopped mint to your taste
red wine vinegar
8 oz. feta cheese
vinaigrette made from juice of 1 lemon, 8 T. olive oil, and 1 clove of garlic (minced)

Cook the lentils with the carrot, onion, bay leaf, whole garlic, and salt (20-25 min. at a simmer). Drain them when they're done and remove the vegetables and bay leaf. Fold the vinaigrette into the lentils. Let cool then add the peppers, feta, mint, and salt and ground pepper to taste.

Another version of lentil salad I like includes fresh tarragon, chevre, and finely diced carrots and red onion.

Serves 6

Collards and Rice

This recipe is from Amy Cotler's One-Pot Vegetarian Dishes. I like it because it's yummy, simple, vegan, and a great way to get those oh-so-good-for-you-collards and beans into your bod. I use brown rice instead of white, which is in the original recipe, and add the collards later in the cooking process. For those of you who don't often cook with beans, it's highly recommended to soak them overnight with the juice of one lemon to make them easier to digest.

Ingredients:

1 bunch collards, stems removed, and chopped coarsely
1/2 T butter
1 T olive oil
3 large leeks (white and tender greens) well-rinsed and chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1.5 cups brown basmati rice
1 can stewed tomatoes (or stew your own fresh, when they're in season)
1 32 oz. carton broth (vegetable or chicken)
1 15 oz. can black-eyed peas, or about 1.5 cups you've cooked yourself

Melt butter with olive oil over medium heat and add leeks and garlic, cooking until the leeks start to brown. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover with wax paper, then pot lid. Cook, stirring once, for 30 min., before adding the collards. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, adding the beans during the last 5 min. of cooking. Serve in bowls with hot sauce on the side. Great the next day.