Fava Beans - my new favorite vegetable

A few months ago I bought the book How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table by Russ Parsons. It is an invaluable resource for produce shopping and also introduced me to the fava bean. Last Saturday the Peaceful Belly stand at the Farmer’s Market had fava beans for sale and I bought ½ a pound to try. I decided to use them in an Orzo salad that I made tonight. They taste like peas fresh from the garden, only they are at least three times larger. They take some time to peel, but are worth the effort. Russ Parsons gives a great trick for getting the bean out of its protective shell. After shucking the beans place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Drain the water after 2 to 3 minutes, slide your fingernail along the seam, and pop out the bean.

Farmer’s Market Orzo Salad

1 ear corn
½ lb fava beans (weight includes the pods)
1 small red onion or 4 shallot lobes, diced
1 yellow crookneck squash, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
¾ lb orzo
3 TBS olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 TBS red wine vinegar
½ tsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp brown sugar
½ c toasted walnuts, chopped

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add orzo and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Shuck and peel fava beans. Cut kernels off corn and add to orzo with beans. In a large skillet heat 1 TBS olive oil and add onion, carrot, and pinch of salt. Sauté 3 minutes. Add mushroom and squash and sauté 4 minutes, or until tender. Add to orzo mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Whisk together remaining 2 TBS olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard and brown sugar. When emulsified pour over salad, stirring to combine. Top with toasted chopped walnuts. Serve warm or cold.

The original recipe calls for 3 TBS red wine vinegar and 1 ½ tsp whole grain mustard. When I tasted the salad I was blown away by the vinegar taste and ended up rinsing off the salad to reduce the amount of dressing which was much better tasting. I also think it would be quite lovely simply drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste as this lets the different flavors of the vegetables make a statement. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand, just be sure to dice them into small pieces so that they blend well with the orzo. The walnuts are a must as they play nicely off of the sweetness of the vegetables and add a meatiness to the dish.