Fava bean salata
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 c Fava or butter beans soaked
- 1/3 c Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 c Finely chopped onion
- 1 ea Garlic clove finely chopped
- 1/3 c Finely diced carrot
- 1/3 c Finely diced celery
- 1 ea Bay leaf crumbled
- 2 1/2 tb Minced flat-leaf parsley Sea salt to taste
- 1/2 ts Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 sl Coarse-grain bread -- crust removed and soaked -- for 5 minutes in:
- 2 tb Olive oil
- 1 sm Lemon juiced MMMMM------------------------FOR SERVING-----------------------------
- 1 pn Paprika
Instructions:
Drain the dried beans and place in large saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring slowly to a boil drain and rinse. Rinse out the saucepan return the beans to the pan and add cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil reduce the heat cover and gently simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until soft. Drain reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Remove the fava bean skins with your fingers and spread the beans between layers of paper towels to dry. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy skillet. Saute the onion garlic carrot celery and bay leaf over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until dark golden brown stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a food processor or blender container and add the bread. With the machine running add about two thirds of the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and process until thick and smooth. Add a few tablespoons of water if the puree seems too thick and add salt pepper olive oil and/or lemon juice to taste. Serve on a platter sprinkled with the remaining parsley and olive oil and the paprika. To make the traditional way: Pound the cooked vegetable-bean mixture and the bread in a large wooden mortar for 5 minutes. Slowly add about two thirds of the lemon juice and then 3/4 cup of the olive oil. Pound for 5 minutes longer and add salt pepper olive oil and/or lemon juice to taste.
