Tonight we tried fava beans. I most likely would not have searched these out. They were a suggested item this week for our Green B.E.A.N. delivery and I went with it.
Luckily , the girls were extremely excited to be helpers in the kitchen while Henry napped. Because what I didn’t realize when I checked “order” was that I was also checking “sure, I’ll do all the prep work required to eat these things”.
They have to be peeled not once, but twice.
First, you have to get the bean out of the pod. That’s what the girls had the most fun with in the above picture. They loved cracking it open and popping out the beans. It was quite educational – talking about how they grew and how you have to get to the inside, etc.
Then we put them all on a baking sheet and popped them into the freezer for 30 minutes. Then back out on the counter for 10 minutes.
Peeling session #2 was a little bit tougher for small fingers, but Stella was up to the challenge. Once you puncture the bean a tiny bit (I basically picked at the shell with my fingers at one tip) the bean will pop/slide/come right out. And below you will see all of the “outer skin” left on the baking sheet and the bowl of actual beans.
I tossed them in some oil, sprinkled on some salt and pepper and sauteed them in a pan with a crushed clove of garlic. (Side note – if you don’t have a Pampered Chef garlic press it is the ABSOLUTE best.gadget.ever.)
The kids were more willing to try them because of all the work they did in preparing them. However, they didn’t gobble them up. Andy and I liked them and will definitely make them again.
