Fava Bean: Boiled Peanut Style

Okay, they are not peanuts at all. They are fava beans. A friend of mine belongs to a produce delivery service and she as uncertain what to do with these beans. I offered to take them off her hands and I quickly became aware that I had no idea what to do with them either. The only thing I could think of was census taker and a nice dry Chianti. Fortunately for all involved I could not find any census takers in my neighborhood.


Instead I decided to simply blanch them in salt water in the hopes that they would taste something like edamame. Well, I lost track to time when they were in the boiling salt water and in the end I had something that reminded me very strongly of boiled peanuts. Now, those those not initiated boiled peanuts are green peanuts, boiled in very salty water and sold at roadside stands. They are usually cooked in large barrels and ladled out with old hole punch metal coffee can fastened to a stick. Trust me, they taste great.



about 2 pounds to beans, shelled
2 quarts of water
enough salt to make the water very salty (like seawater)
ice and water

1. Bring the the 2 quarts of water to a boil in a saucepan, add the salt and allow to boil for a few minutes. Add the fava beans and allow to boil for about 5 minutes or until they are tender.
2. Promptly remove them to a boil filled with ice and water. This stops the cooking process immediately.