Fava Beans

[dcfoodie]

Fava beans will be in season soon, and I've never been able to find them anywhere. The grocery stores certainly don't have them. Are they available at any of the farmer's markets usually?

[Barbara]

Fava beans will be in season soon, and I've never been able to find them anywhere. The grocery stores certainly don't have them. Are they available at any of the farmer's markets usually?

I've seen them in past years at Dean & Deluca and at Whole Foods.

[CrescentFresh]

They'll be available from a few vendors at Dupont Market for a few weeks, in a few weeks.

[mdt]

Fava beans will be in season soon, and I've never been able to find them anywhere. The grocery stores certainly don't have them. Are they available at any of the farmer's markets usually?

In addition to the grocery stores mentioned above, Shopper's usually has them. I always see them at the DuPont market.

[dcfoodie]

Great! Thanks guys (and gal). I'll be sure to keep an eye out. I guess I just never noticed them. Hopefully the Whole Foods I usually visit will start carrying them.

[Waitman]

Hans at the Dupont Market will have fava's at the end of May. Everything until then -- though far better than no favas -- will be second tier.

A good thought is to blanch them and serve atop crusty bread with feta, lemon and olive oil, btw, preferably on a balcony or porch with the spring sunshine raining down. If you can find it (I can't) a good Assyrtiko from the island of Santorini -- legendary for their favas (no shit) -- wouild make a fine accompaniment.

[dcfoodie]

I definitely plan to make some fava bean crostini like I'm starting to see at 2 Amys and the tagliatelle at Komi with the favas and radishes...yum.

[ScotteeM]

I've gotten fava beans at Wegmans, Harris Teeter, Grand Mart, and maybe Whole Foods--I've certainly seen them at WF.

Some ethnic stores also carry frozen shelled favas--they're large beans, and still need to be blanched and peeled.

[Anna Blume]

I can't guarantee that they're any good, but Whole Foods at Tenleytown had some fresh ones from from California today at $2.99 a pound.

In a pinch, use edamame.

[wineitup]

If you're in Prince William County, Global Foods has them.

[mstevens]

Bought some passable ones last night at P St Whole Foods--probably 5% of them had to be chucked after shelling, but after a quick blanch, hulling and toss with olive oil, lemon juice, fresh mint, sea salt, black pepper and topped with a shave of pecorino they managed to make me wildly happy about spring.

[ScotteeM]

I found frozen, shelled fava beans last night at Whole Foods in Springfield. The 16-oz bag was $2.29.

Cooked according to package directions (in boiling water for 7 minutes) produced a very mealy texture and not a lot of flavor. I'll try again but just warm them.

[dcfoodie]

Balduccis had them yesterday. I shelled and peeled them today. That was a lot of work.

[Al Dente]

Broken record... Whole Foods Old Town has them fresh. They look good too.

[mdt]

Broken record... Whole Foods Old Town has them fresh. They look good too.

I was at the Whole Foods in Springfield this morning and they have them too. Unfortunately they look horrible. And no ramps to be seen anywhere, not to mention the blank looks when I asked about them.

[Anna Blume]

When they look horrible, ask if you can open up a pod to take a look.

You'd be surprised.

And thanks for the comments here about cashiers not being able to find the right code for items at Whole Foods. I even told my cashier how much they were per pound and she waved me through after consulting someone else's chart. Free food makes double-shelling less of a pain.

Recommendation: a Roman spring stew with new potatoes, onions, baby artichokes, parsely, and lots of peas.*

*Frozen, thawed. Better than fresh English ones. Don't be a martyr.

Oh, boy. I'm a clam now.

[farid]

I found frozen, shelled fava beans last night at Whole Foods in Springfield. The 16-oz bag was $2.29.

Cooked according to package directions (in boiling water for 7 minutes) produced a very mealy texture and not a lot of flavor. I'll try again but just warm them.

I've tried two different brands. Not very good, mealy no flavor. If it works out for I'm curious about the brand.

[clayrae]

I figured in order to live up to my foodie moniker I should finally try favas. Picked up a box at the Takoma Market this morning.

Shelled, blanched, and shelled again. Sauteed in butter and topped with salt pepper and pecorino.

And they tasted like beans sauteed in butter with salt pepper and pecorino.

With all the hype I was expecting a revelation.

So, um, what am I missing here?

[zoramargolis]

Shelled, blanched, and shelled again. Sauteed in butter and topped with salt pepper and pecorino.

And they tasted like beans sauteed in butter with salt pepper and pecorino.

With all the hype I was expecting a revelation.

So, um, what am I missing here?

Try mashing the beans with exta virgin olive oil and seasoning with roasted garlic, lemon juice and zest, finely chopped basil and a little bit of rosemary, salt and pepper. Spread that on a toasted piece of rustic bread that has been drizzled with EVO, and layer some thin shards of pecorino or other sheepmilk cheese on top. Wash it down with a chilled dry rosé while sitting in some verdant spot on a warm day. Then we'll talk about fresh favas again, and see how you feel about them.

[Soup]

You can find them in ee marts and super H (dried and fresh).

Fava is the one bean I don't like. Maybe I don't know how to cook them. I find the outer covering on the bean (not the pod) very tough. Should I be removing them. For having such a tough and rubbery skin, it also seems to have less fiber and taste.

All other beans, rock. Eat more beans...

[chickenlover]

I find the outer covering on the bean (not the pod) very tough. Should I be removing them.

Yes.

[zoramargolis]

Fava is the one bean I don't like. Maybe I don't know how to cook them. I find the outer covering on the bean (not the pod) very tough. Should I be removing them. For having such a tough and rubbery skin, it also seems to have less fiber and taste.

Favas have a three-stage prep, and for that reason many people find them a hassle. Prepping a large amount of them is definitely time-consuming. I usually do it while watching tv.

First, remove the beans from the pods. Then blanch the beans in a fair amount of boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from the pot and cool the beans with cold tap water. Then nip off the top of the pale thick hull with your thumbnail and squeeze out the bright green bean. Discard the hulls. After you've figured out the technique, it goes quite quickly. The beans can be eaten as-is (they are cooked), or they can be quickly sauteed and served hot.

[mdt]

You can also eat them raw. Get yourself a pile of younger beans, some crusty Italian bread, a small dish of extra virgin olive oil, and a small pile of salt. Take bean (and bread if you like), dip in oil, dip in salt, put in mouth. Repeat until beans are gone. Toughest part is taking them out of the pod.

[zoramargolis]

You can also eat them raw. Get yourself a pile of younger beans, some crusty Italian bread, a small dish of extra virgin olive oil, and a small pile of salt. Take bean (and bread if you like), dip in oil, dip in salt, put in mouth. Repeat until beans are gone. Toughest part is taking them out of the pod.

For some people, there is a risk involved in eating large quantities of raw favas, which contain small amounts of toxins that are destroyed by heating them. Look down the Wikipedia page to the section headed Health Issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_faba

[Soup]

Favas have a three-stage prep, and for that reason many people find them a hassle. Prepping a large amount of them is definitely time-consuming. I usually do it while watching tv.

First, remove the beans from the pods. Then blanch the beans in a fair amount of boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from the pot and cool the beans with cold tap water. Then nip off the top of the pale thick hull with your thumbnail and squeeze out the bright green bean. Discard the hulls. After you've figured out the technique, it goes quite quickly. The beans can be eaten as-is (they are cooked), or they can be quickly sauteed and served hot.

Do dried ones work the same way?

[LittleWing]

Is it too late in the season to find fava beans right now? And has anyone seen them anywhere in the District lately?

[hillvalley]

Actually, they don't make an appearance at local farmer's markets until the end of May so you are just in time.

[Anna Blume]

Do dried ones work the same way?

No. They're a real PITA.

Little Wing: I guess I must have posted in the Harris Teeter thread vs. here, but there have been wonderful fava beans at HT since the beginning of May. Other stores, including WFM carried them past couple of years, but I haven't seen them there this spring. Generally, supermarkets start carrying spring things a month or two or three before they're in season on the east coast.

I thought they weren't around until some time in the summer in this climate: late June, early July.

[hillvalley]

I thought they weren't around until some time in the summer in this climate: late June, early July.

When I asked Heinz a few weeks ago he said the end of May.

[KMango]

I saw some gorgeous fresh fava beans at the Common Market in Frederick this weekend. I live nowhere near Frederick, but that store is such a gem. Couple it with a trek to the used books at Wonder Book and it's well worth the trek.

[vickie]

Is it too late in the season to find fava beans right now? And has anyone seen them anywhere in the District lately?

I don't know where you live, but I found some at the Balducci's in McLean and the Whole Foods on Rte 7 in Tysons.

[Waitman]

Some fine favas in Whole Foods this weekend. But the best are when Heinz has them at the Dupont Market. Any Sunday, I expect....

[zoramargolis]

Some fine favas in Whole Foods this weekend. But the best are when Heinz has them at the Dupont Market. Any Sunday, I expect....

Much as I admire Heinz and appreciate the quality of his organic vegetables, the price he charges for favas is too high given the inherent total weight to usable bean ratio. I don't have a big issue with buying conventionally grown favas that might have been treated with chemical fertilizer or pesticide. The heavy casing that is discarded would be all that would be exposed. That said, I just bought some organically grown favas at Whole Foods for $1.99 a pound. Last year, IIRC, Heinz was charging $4.99 a pound for his.

[LittleWing]

Found fresh favas at Harris Teeter yesterday... but my recipe calls for dried ones (its the recipe for Ful Medammes from the May 2009 Food & Wine). Can I make a direct substitution with the fresh ones? Should it be the same amount the recipe calls for, and should I cook them the same way? Its my first time cooking favas, in case you can't tell

[Anna Blume]

Found fresh favas at Harris Teeter yesterday... but my recipe calls for dried ones (its the recipe for Ful Medammes from the May 2009 Food & Wine). Can I make a direct substitution with the fresh ones? Should it be the same amount the recipe calls for, and should I cook them the same way? Its my first time cooking favas, in case you can't tell

No, the two are very, very different.

You can find dried fava beans in Rodman's (Goya brand) or Middle Eastern grocers.

[LittleWing]

Some fine favas in Whole Foods this weekend. But the best are when Heinz has them at the Dupont Market. Any Sunday, I expect....

on the hunt for fresh favas again.... None at Harris Teeter nor Mt Pleasant farmers market. Anyone seen them at Dupont Farmers market lately, or anywhere else? Trying to find them ASAP!

Thanks...

[Anna Blume]

on the hunt for fresh favas again.... None at Harris Teeter nor Mt Pleasant farmers market. Anyone seen them at Dupont Farmers market lately, or anywhere else? Trying to find them ASAP!

Thanks...

Not in season anymore. They're a spring thing, though arriving later on east coast than California, this year a bit later.

I don't recommend the frozen ones (Whole Foods). Sub edamame, transform what you're making into something more summery or make something else. Tell us your plans and Zora will make everything alright.

[KMango]

on the hunt for fresh favas again.... None at Harris Teeter nor Mt Pleasant farmers market. Anyone seen them at Dupont Farmers market lately, or anywhere else? Trying to find them ASAP!

Thanks...

And another bean option for ya:

One Blog West posting on Dragon Tongue Beans

[LittleWing]

Not in season anymore. They're a spring thing, though arriving later on east coast than California, this year a bit later.

I don't recommend the frozen ones (Whole Foods). Sub edamame, transform what you're making into something more summery or make something else. Tell us your plans and Zora will make everything alright.

I am trying to make fava bean crostini - simple, just a basic purée with garlic, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil. You think edamame would sub well?

[zoramargolis]

I am trying to make fava bean crostini - simple, just a basic purée with garlic, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil. You think edamame would sub well?

Yes.If you can get to one of the Asian supermarkets, like H Mart or Super H, you may still find favas. They won't necessarily be local, but fresh edamame won't necessarily be either. You might find other fresh shell beans, like cranberry beans (aka borlotti) or fresh garbanzos that would make terrific crostini, too, cooked a little bit longer than you would favas. If all else fails, you can cook dried cannelini beans--or use canned, to make a terrific topping for crostini with the flavors you are describing.

[Anna Blume]

I am trying to make fava bean crostini - simple, just a basic purée with garlic, thyme, lemon juice, olive oil. You think edamame would sub well?

Why not wait until good ones are available then and celebrate the spring? (Try it w mint vs. thyme to make maro.) For now, there are plenty of great things to do with grilled bread and summery foods. Tomato bread, for example. Eggplant purée.

[Rieux]

Two things have conspired to make me fava crazy this year. First, I moved to Mount Pleasant and started eating regularly at Radius, where I have ordered the spring pizza with fava beans at least 4 times since April.

Second, after eating at his restaurant in London, I bought the Yotam Ottolenghi cookbook "Plenty". (Side note, the cookbook is fabulous. Vegetarian dishes that this avowed meat eater loves). Many of the amazing salads, etc. involve fava beans. Yesterday I tried the whole foods in friendship heights, but no luck either fresh or frozen. I ended up using frozen lima beans, which were a poor substitute.

I have not seen them at the Mt. P farmer's market, probably because it is too late. Anyone know of other sources? Maybe the Bestway? Suggestions on substitutions for salads?

[Rhone1998]

Two things have conspired to make me fava crazy this year. First, I moved to Mount Pleasant and started eating regularly at Radius, where I have ordered the spring pizza with fava beans at least 4 times since April.

Second, after eating at his restaurant in London, I bought the Yotam Ottolenghi cookbook "Plenty". (Side note, the cookbook is fabulous. Vegetarian dishes that this avowed meat eater loves). Many of the amazing salads, etc. involve fava beans. Yesterday I tried the whole foods in friendship heights, but no luck either fresh or frozen. I ended up using frozen lima beans, which were a poor substitute.

I have not seen them at the Mt. P farmer's market, probably because it is too late. Anyone know of other sources? Maybe the Bestway? Suggestions on substitutions for salads?

I bought some at the U Street farmer's market Saturday morning. I saw fava beans and thought, "ooh, fava beans, I'll buy some fava beans" totally forgetting that the evening before our stove had died. Anyone got any good suggestions for preparing these on the grill?

[hillvalley]

I bought some at the U Street farmer's market Saturday morning. I saw fava beans and thought, "ooh, fava beans, I'll buy some fava beans" totally forgetting that the evening before our stove had died. Anyone got any good suggestions for preparing these on the grill?

Yep

[leleboo]

I bought some at the U Street farmer's market Saturday morning. I saw fava beans and thought, "ooh, fava beans, I'll buy some fava beans" totally forgetting that the evening before our stove had died. Anyone got any good suggestions for preparing these on the grill?

Also, this week's Recipes for Health is all about favas.

[Anna Blume]

I have not seen them at the Mt. P farmer's market, probably because it is too late. Anyone know of other sources? Maybe the Bestway? Suggestions on substitutions for salads?

Next Step Produce at Dupont Circle has sold them for the past three Sundays. Mt. View--source at U St. this past week?--might have some at Penn Quarter on Thursday, but I haven't seen any from this farm yet.

Fava beans are one of those things that provide a transition between spring and summer, signaling the end of delicate little radishes that bolt in heat according to my sources, and the expansion of the category of berries beyond straw-. The only reason you may have seen them much earlier in the spring at Whole Foods was because they were coming from California which has a jump start on us. FWIW, I wouldn't sub anything, I'd just make a different kind of salad. For example, green beans have also arrived: Jade, Romano and French filet (haricots verts).

[Rieux]

Next Step Produce at Dupont Circle has sold them for the past three Sundays. Mt. View--source at U St. this past week?--might have some at Penn Quarter on Thursday, but I haven't seen any from this farm yet.

Fava beans are one of those things that provide a transition between spring and summer, signaling the end of delicate little radishes that bolt in heat according to my sources, and the expansion of the category of berries beyond straw-. The only reason you may have seen them much earlier in the spring at Whole Foods was because they were coming from California which has a jump start on us. FWIW, I wouldn't sub anything, I'd just make a different kind of salad. For example, green beans have also arrived: Jade, Romano and French filet (haricots verts).

Thanks all! Looks like I will have to get myself down to the U st. or Dupont markets this weekend!

[mdt]

I bought some at the U Street farmer's market Saturday morning. I saw fava beans and thought, "ooh, fava beans, I'll buy some fava beans" totally forgetting that the evening before our stove had died. Anyone got any good suggestions for preparing these on the grill?

You don't need a stove to eat them the Italian peasant way. Just remove the beans from the pod, pinch off the top, dip in some olive oil, dip in some salt, and enjoy with a loaf of crusty Italian bread.

[Anna Blume]

FYI: Mountain View has not been selling fava beans at Penn Quarter's market this year because the farm's U St. customers were disappointed that they couldn't buy any last year. Atilla and Shawna should have some this upcoming Saturday at U St. and plan to plant a whole lot more next year. On Sunday, Next Step Produce will be selling the last of their crop for the season.