Garden To Grill - Salted Fava Beans
Every year I grow at least one veggie that I have never grown before. Last year it was oca, this year it is the fava bean. I bought 6 plants at the farm stand and watched them grow from a couple of inches to several feet tall. Then they started to flower. The flowers were white and grew in clusters with each flower having a big dark spot on the lower petal. These grew into the green pods seen below.
If picked early, while the pods are still thin, fava beans can be eaten whole like any other bush bean. If you let them grow until they are large and plump just pull the outside string and remove the beans. They will be covered with a thick waxy shell. Parboil them for just a minute, plunge into ice water, and peel the waxy layer off. Now you have a bright green oddly shaped bean.
Today we grilled fava beans and ate them right out the shell. Prep was minimal; just a quick toss with a little olive oil and salt. My husband grilled them for four to five minutes on the first side and then a minute or two on the other, before removing them from the grill. They were cooked perfectly soft and had a sweet buttery taste. The olive oil and salt that was initially tossed on the beans stuck to my fingers and reminded me of edamame that I have eaten before at one of our favorite restaurants.
Ingredients:
Fava beans
Olive oil
Salt
To prepare:
Toss beans with olive oil and salt. On grill lay pods in a single layer, turn after 4 to 5 minutes on first side, then grill for another minute or two on the next side. Remove, salt again if needed.
To eat, tear open pod and squeeze the beans out, if tender enough eat whole pod. Enjoy!
I love that you try growing different vegetables. I'm still kinda new to where we live, so I am still trying to figure out what grows around here. I really want to grow soybeans. I'm going to try that next year.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you could eat the pod on fava beans, I thought they had to be shelled. Great idea to grill them!
Hi Cindy, still experimenting, but as long as the pods are young there still edible. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteIt's great that you try growing something different every season. I've never had fava beans and certainly never grown them. I love how you prepared them simply, letting their flavour shine xx
ReplyDeleteHi Charlie, thanks, gardening is an adventure, having fun.
DeleteOh My Goodness. Fava Beans. My dad grows them in his garden in San Francisco. I must make this when he gives me some. (hie is stingy about it though)
ReplyDeleteHi Marlene, I can see why he might be stingy, they are delicious!
DeleteHomegrown fava beans!! wow..Cheri..this is amazing. I usually have no luck growing veggies...I guess I just have to keep trying!
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, it's funny because some veggies will grow great one year and then not so great the next. I'm still learning.
DeleteThanks, you've inspired me to plant some fava beans. I really enjoy them and they sound perfect when grilled for a snack or side dish :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Tandy, with really fresh veggies I'm finding they are best prepared simply.
DeleteFava beans are one of my spring favorites!! Love that you grew your own!
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne, I was so surprised to see the pods on the vines, this was my first time growing them. Thanks!
DeleteSuch a simple recipe. I bet they're delicious!
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth, they were delicious!
DeleteSimplicity at its best. I love grilling vegetables! I think it's awesome that every year you grow something that you've never grown before.... that's so inspiring... The fava beans look so delicious, Cheri! <3
ReplyDeleteThanks Prudy, I am really enjoying this experience.
DeleteI'm jealous that you grow your own fava bean, how wonderful! What a delightful presentation!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris, I was surprised when I first saw them, was not expecting them to grow as well as they did.
DeleteFava beans are amazing! I wish we could grow them in Tucson. I love any recipe that makes you lick your fingers!!
ReplyDeleteHi David, I know me too, though I';m going to try my hand at growing them this winter in Phoenix, though I will probably have to cover them at some point.
DeleteThese are called broad beans here I think and John loves them. I like them when they're tiny. I've never put them on the bbq though!
ReplyDeleteHi Maureen, we only had about 8 pods and my husband was grilling anyway so thats why we tried them that way, they were delicious!
DeleteSimple and fabulous! Those fava beans must taste fantastic.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
Hi Rosa, they were delicious!
DeleteI don't think I've ever had fresh beans. Dried yes, but never fresh. They sure look amazing. And so great that you can grow your own!
ReplyDeleteHi Mike, I'm really enjoying gardening, especially beans like this.
DeleteWhat a terrific idea for the lava beans…they must taste great with a little smokey flavor.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, yes they had great flavor, we really enjoyed them.
DeleteThat's a clever idea, Cheri. I haven't eaten fava beans for a while.....such a pain to prepare. But I do love them. Think grilling them this way would not only be tasty, but fun!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, it was fun, a spur of the moment type thing actually, my husband was already grilling.
DeleteHow cool Cheri. We try new vegetables and this year we planted edamame but it didn't produce :( These look great - how interesting!
ReplyDeleteHi Tricia, I know I was so surprised when I saw them, I did not expect much, you would of thought I'd won the lottery.
DeleteI tried growing fava beans but was unsuccessful. May try again as I do love them. Grilling them is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks Norma, I'm having a lot of fun this year with my garden.
DeleteCheri, broad beans are just the best, aren´t they?! And they sound delightfully delicious prepared this way!
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrea, they certainly are delicious!
DeleteI love me some grilled beans so I'm very happy to see this recipe! YUM!
ReplyDeleteHi Pamela, these were delicious!
DeleteI love the notion of trying a new vegetable each year, Cheri. This is the first time in a very long time that I planted vegetables and only a few at that. Your idea has inspired me to try a new one next year:)
ReplyDeleteIt may even be Fava Beans. I imagine they were delicious on the grill and oh so simple! Thank you so much for sharing, Cheri...
Hi Louise, I have been fighting with the varmints and slugs but I am still on the winning side. It's been fun.
DeleteAs someone who can only keep her herb plants alive for a few weeks max, I am in awe of all you amazing gardeners! This grilled fava bean recipe looks amazing! Love a simple recipe that takes advantage of seasonal fresh ingredients.
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica, I just started gardening a couple of years ago, so really I'm just figuring things out.
DeleteFava beans are awesome! So cool you grow one new veggie a year. That takes talent!
ReplyDeleteWe just planted our broad bean seeds in the garden last weekend, and I look forward to late spring/early summer when we start harvesting. I've never tried them grilled and salted like this, but I'm just about beside myself with excitement thinking about them. Can't wait to try.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, this was my first time growing them and today I went out to water my garden and once again there are more favas, I feel so fortunate, not really sure of what I am doing yet so this is a bonus. Good luck on your bean harvest.
DeleteI love the idea of browning one new thing each year! For me this year is was bush beans - not very out of the ordinary, granted, but I'd never grown them. I love fava beans (except the whole peeling thing), and love grilling the young pods! Getting them young is definitely the way to go!
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, I agree, gardening is still pretty new to me and I am having such fun, totally understand how ordinary veggies can be exciting as they are are to me.
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