New Potatoes, Fava Beans, and Spring Garlic

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.

Filed Under: Vegetarian & Vegan Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Side dishes, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free

Rating

No votes yet

Active time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour

Yield

4 Servings

Ingredients

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)

Instructions

Scrub the potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Cut open and remove the fava beans from the pod. You should end up with about 2 cups. Set aside.
In a medium pot of salted boiling water, cook the potatoes for 5 minutes, or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl. Add the fava beans to the same pot of boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a bowl and run under cold water to cool. Using a sharp knife, slice through the fava bean skins and remove the skin by popping out the tender bean. Set aside.
In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the potatoes, fava beans, rosemary, and green garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, adding a little stock or water to moisten, if necessary. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, adding cayenne if you choose. Serve warm or chilled.

Recipe courtesy of Jesse Cool for The Oldways Table. Photo: istockphoto.com.