Sunday cooking - a fava appetizer & a collards dinner.

Sundays are great days for doing a little bit more in the kitchen.  You can lazily approach a multi-step dish, making components throughout the day as you go along.  I don't usually stray too far from home on Sundays.  This past Sunday was a serious day in my kitchen!  First up, braided lemon bread (soooo tasty).  Then, later in the day, we had an awesome snack while I prepared a more elaborate dinner: fava bean spread on toast!  Dinner: ricotta-stuffed collard greens with marinara!

 The fava bean spread was easy and inspired by the Italian flavors that pair so well with favas.  I also consulted an old Kim O'Donnel recipe to make sure I wasn't missing anything.  Her recipe involves lots of chopped hearty greens, such as arugula.  I didn't have them, but I didn't fret - I knew our puree would be excellent without them!  How could it not be, when there are fava beans to love.  You may recall that I have a slight obsession with the lovely fava.  See my prior fava post, including information on how to remove the favas from their pods (step 1) and also from their skins (step 2).

After we ate our fava snack and popped open a bottle of syrah, I got down to business with the collard greens.  This is a recipe that I have enjoyed before, and I stayed pretty true to it, with only a few modifications.  The texture of the collards is just perfect for stuffing.  They retain their structure in the oven, and they taste fresh and delicious.  I would highly recommend this recipe - even the sauce is a keeper!

Fava Puree
I used one small brown bag of favas in their pods, probably about 3/4 of a pound - I would recommend using even more, because 1 pound of fava pods will yield one cup or less of beans.  So take advantage of the favas while they are around! 

Remove the favas from their spongy outer pod.  Bring a pot of water to a boil; add the fava beans and cook for three to four minutes, then remove from the stove and plunge immediately in an ice water bath.  Drain and pop the beans from their skins (you can just use your fingers to pop them out).

Add the favas to a food processor and pulse a few times to make a chunky fava puree.  Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or more or less to taste), two to three tablespoons of finely shredded parmesan, a bit of lemon zest (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon grated), a couple squeezes of lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon), a bit of salt and plenty of pepper.  You can also add a couple leaves of fresh mint (I did not).

Spread on toast and enjoy!

Ricotta-and-Veggie-Stuffed Collard Greens with Marinara
Adapted from Gourmet, via Epicurious

Sauce:
1 cup chopped yellow onion (I used two small spring onions from the box)
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons red wine (pick one you like to drink!)
28-oz can of crushed tomatoes (I used Muir Glen fire-roasted for extra oomph)
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon herbes de provence or other mix of Italian-type herbs
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
dash of red pepper flakes (the kind you use on pizza)

Rolls:
1 bunch of large collard green leaves (at least 10 large leaves, plus extra for patching any holes)
7 oz. ricotta (use one with flavor!); about 1/2 a regular 15 oz. container
1/4 pound mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch dice (I used fresh mozzarella)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (rinsed in warm water and patted dry to thaw), or use fresh corn
4 green onions, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced

To make the sauce: Heat the butter over medium heat, and add the onion and cook until translucent and tender, about 8 minutes.  Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.  Then add the remaining ingredients - tomatoes, sugar, herbs, and red pepper flakes, plus salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Spread in the bottom of a baking dish (ceramic or glass, about 13x9 inches).

To make the rolls: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  While the sauce simmers, bring a large, deep pot of water to a boil (I used a stock pot).  Add the collard greens and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender but not falling apart.  Remove with tongs and place in a bowl of cold water.  Spread out on a kitchen towel to dry.

In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, egg, bell pepper, corn, and green onions, plus salt and pepper to taste.  To make a roll, pat dry one large collard leaf.  Slice out the middle rib, cutting about 1/3 of the way into the leaf.  Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the top third of the leaf (opposite of the stem end).  To roll, pull the top part of the leaf up and over the filling, then tuck the sides in and roll up the rest of the way (like rolling a mini burrito).  Place the roll in the baking dish, on top of the sauce.  Roll the remainder of the leaves in the same manner, using any smaller leaves to patch any holes or tears.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbling and the rolls are hot all the way through.  Serve with rice or another grain,with sauce spooned over the rolls.

Favas: A Love Story

I am truly enamored with fava beans. They are buttery, melt-in-your mouth succulent, a very special spring treat. You will see them pop up as a component in a fancy restaurant meal, studding the risotto or enveloping the lamb chop in their soft pureed arms. I always think of favas as an Italian ingredient, perhaps because they pair so well with lemon and pasta, or atop crostini. The word "fava" itself is Italian, however, favas are not inherently Italian. Rather, they hail from the Middle East and are ancient plants, first cultivated thousands of years ago alongside such staples as lentils and peas. They can grow in relatively harsh climates or in relatively poor soil, and they have been used historically as a cover crop. In the Middle East, favas are often eaten for breakfast in the dish ful madames. They are also a key ingredient in the Egyptian version of falafel.

Favas in their complete form.

After the initial shelling.

Favas are also known as broad beans, and they grow encased in a long, spongy shell. When you peel open the outer shell to expose the beans, they resemble limas. However, unlike limas, they require an extra step. Unless your beans are very young, you should blanch them quickly and then peel or pop them out of their skin. This will yield the buttery, tender inner bean, which can be sauteed, pureed, etc.

To me, there is something so enticing about favas, and I think it is rooted in their fleeting harvest season. Plus, they are so labor intensive for such a small volume of beans. I think they are simply special. With favas, you must strike when the iron is hot, and relish the moments spent shelling and coaxing the beans from their skins.

Last night**, we ate our favas as part of a spring minestrone, another Heidi Swanson recipe from her book "Super Natural Cooking." (Check out her blog, www.101cookbooks.com) This is really a light broth enriched by rice and spring veggies, including asparagus and favas. I like to brighten the flavors with lemon and add a salty kiss of parmesan. Some fresh basil wouldn't hurt either, though I balked at paying $2.29 for a limp packet of basil this time around, and nobody noticed its absence. (I need to get started on an herb garden!)

Our favas were particularly tiny last night. Our farm newsletter indicated that we could eat them without doing the second peeling process, but I thought that they looked a bit tough in their skins. I forged ahead with the full two-step shelling process.

The results of shelling and peeling a big bag of favas. For comparison, a 32 oz. bag of rice.

Veggies prepped for stock.

A big bowl of stock, flecked with thyme.

I like to eat this soup in the spring when the favas pop up at the farmers' market, though you can replace the favas with regular peas and/or sugar snap peas. Because the broth is such an elemental part of this dish, I recommend making your own stock. I am including a recipe inspired by Heidi's basic stock recipe below, though any light veggie stock will work well.


Spring Minestrone
Adapted from Heidi Swanson

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced thinly
3 small stalks of green garlic, sliced thinly, or 2 cloves regular garlic, minced
3/4 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed
6 cups of vegetable stock (see recipe below)
fava beans - start with about 1 pound in their shells - this will reduce down dramatically
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Grated parmesan for garnish

Prepare the fava beans: Shell the beans out of their first layer (the spongy outer bean pod). Boil a medium pot of water. While the water is heating, make an ice bath. Add the beans to the pot; cook for one minute then strain immediately and place in the ice bath. After a minute or two, strain again. If your beans are young and tender, you can just pop them out of their second layer (the skins). Alternatively, use a small paring knife to slice each bean individually, then pop it out. [Practice patience - this is a repetitive task.]

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the rice and cook for one minute, stirring frequently. Add the stock and salt to taste, if needed; bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 35 to 45 minutes, until the rice is just tender.

When the rice is done, turn the heat back up to medium or medium-high (you want it to be simmering), then add the asparagus and favas. Cook for 3 minutes, making sure that the veggies remain bring green and don't get overcooked. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus the lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan.

Enjoy a little slice of spring!

Vegetable Stock
You can double this recipe by adding twice as many of each veggie, and twice the water. I like to use stock to make rice, couscous, pan sauces, etc. You can also freeze stock in ice cube trays and pop them out as needed.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, quartered
2 shallots, quartered
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
Trimmings from any other veggies left over from the week - I used the woody ends of a bunch of asparagus
1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly smashed
Thyme - either a couple fresh sprigs or a sprinkling of dried
salt to taste (about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt)
2 quarts filtered or spring water (that's 8 cups)

Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat and add everything except the salt and water. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to brown. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes (you can simmer longer if you like). Taste; add additional salt if necessary. Strain into a large bowl, removing all of the vegetables.

**You will note that last night was Sunday ... an Amazing Race night. Spring minestrone won out over week two of Chinese food. We ate out on Friday and Saturday due to gardening fatigue, and I knew I wouldn't have time tonight or tomorrow night to do the favas justice. So we compromised on making the global-inspired AR dish, in favor of enjoying spring's fleeting bounty!

What's in the box?

This is going to be a FANTASTIC week! Why? Because I am hoping to make one of my favorite spring recipes (look for it this weekend!), and because we are going to embrace beauty and nature and liven up our front flowerbed with our first major gardening project this weekend! I will definitely report back on the progress.

So here's what we will be savoring along the way this week:

Asparagus
Fava Beans!!!!!!!!*
Green Garlic
Mixed Chard
Karanata Kale
Salad Mix
Spinach
Tokyo Turnips

* Fava beans are ... one of my absolute favorites! Their season is fleeting. They arrive during mid-spring and stick around for a couple of weeks, tops. I think their rarity makes them more precious to me. Certainly, something about them causes me to suffer through the multiple shelling/peeling steps. First, you must remove their outer casing. Then, after a quick blanch, you slice each of the green skins and pop each individual bean out. A huge pile of fava beans in their original form will yield only a small cup of shelled beans. But they are tender and buttery and simply divine!

Here's another week of Tokyo turnips - these are a bit plumper than last week's bunch and would be tasty roasted, as we ate them last night:

And another type of kale!! It looks similar to the Red Russian Kale (oak leaf-like silhouette), but it's identified as "Karanata Kale" by the farm. I will need to do a little digging and see what the difference is.
A lovely stem trio:
The yellow is the chard and the red is the kale. The white bulbs are green garlic.

Now it's time to get cooking! Dinner is calling my name.