This recipe is the epitome of springtime. Fava beans, freshly dug new potatoes, and not-yet-mature, fragrant-yet-mild garlic are first signs that winter is at its end. Garlic grows just like onions, with tender green leaves and a delicate, unformed slender bulb before the cloves begin to form. In her cooking, Jesse harvests some garlic plants early, using both greens and the bulb, just as she would a green onion. Serve with pasta, grilled meats, or roasted chicken. Be aware that preparing fava beans takes some time.
2 cups or about ¾ pound new potatoes
2 ½ pounds fresh fava beans
¼ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 green garlic plants, whites and greens sliced into ¼-inch pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock or water
Pinch of ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Recipe courtesy of Jesse Cool for The Oldways Table. Photo: istockphoto.com.