The Simplicity Of Fava Beans And Spanish Ham Recipes

PORTUGUESE FAVAS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until golden brown. Stir in red pepper flakes, tomato sauce, hot water, parsley, salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Gently stir in fava beans. Remove from heat and let stand for several minutes to allow flavors to meld.

FABADA

Steps:

• Cover beans with ample hot water and allow to stand overnight.
• Fill a Dutch oven 1/2 full with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt pork, and allow to boil for 5 minutes, then remove. Pour out water.
• Drain water from beans and place them into Dutch oven. Pour in 10 cups of water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 15 minutes, skimming and discarding the foam that forms on top. Stir in saffron, salt pork, and diced ham; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and morcilla sausages, and cook for 5 minutes more. Skim any foam that forms on top.
• Reduce heat to low, add bay leaf, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, 2 to 3 hours, adding water if needed to keep beans moist. Allow beans to stand for 20 minutes off of the heat before serving.

FAVA BEANS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE AND MINT

Steps:

• To prepare the favas, split open the pods and remove the beans. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan filled with salted water to a boil over high heat. Place a bowl filled with ice water near your stove top. Drop the beans into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes (this is longer than most recipes instruct because the beans are not cooked again). Drain the beans and quickly plunge them into the ice water. With your fingernail, pierce the skin of each bean near one end and squeeze the bean gently to pop free of the skin. Don't worry if the beans separate into halves. You should have about 2 cups beans.
• In a bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the fava beans, mint leaves, and lemon zest and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before serving to chill and allow the flavors to meld.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper before serving. Serve chilled.

SPANISH GREEN BEANS WITH HAM

Steps:

• Cook the beans, left whole, in boiling salted water for 5-6 minutes, until they are just tender but still with a little bit of bite.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for 5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
• Add the garlic and ham and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
• Drain the beans, then add them to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

TAGLIATELLE WITH HAM AND FAVA BEANS

Steps:

• Bring six quarts salted water to boil for the tagliatelle. Steam the fava beans until barely tender. Set aside.
• Combine heavy cream, butter and ham in small saucepan and heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the fava beans and set aside.
• Cook the tagliatelle until al dente. Drain and mix with the ham sauce and serve additional Parmesan cheese separately.

FAVA BEAN SALAD WITH JAMON AND FRESH MINT

Steps:

• Boil the fava beans until just tender, 2-3 minutes.
• Drain, rinse, and peel (skip the peeling if using edamame).
• In a serving bowl, combine the beans, escarole, ham, mint, and shallots. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and whisk to form a dressing.
• Add the dressing to the salad, and toss to combine.
• Taste, and add more salt or pepper if needed.
• Serve at once.

THE SIMPLICITY OF FAVA BEANS AND SPANISH HAM

Steps:

• Bring a pan of water to a boil. Shell the beans. Very lightly salt the water and add the beans. Return the water to a boil, then decrease the heat so that they boil merrily for three or four minutes or until they are tender. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and age of your beans but generally they take less time than you might expect. Drain them and cool under running water.
• Pop the beans from their skins, unless they are very young and the size of a fingernail. This is a very pleasant way to spend ten minutes on a lazy afternoon. Place the pieces of ham, which should be in snippets about twice the size of a large postage stamp, on a serving plate.
• Make the dressing by adding a small pinch of salt to the sherry vinegar and letting it dissolve. Add half a teaspoon of mustard-no more-then whisk in the olive oil with a fork. Chop the parsley leaves quite finely and add them to the dressing. Lastly, a few grinds of pepper. Toss the beans gently in the dressing and set aside for twenty minutes or so (they are fine for several hours if it makes life easier).
• Scatter the beans over the ham and eat.