Fresh Fava Bean and Almond Dip
Peeling fava beans can be a chore, or meditative—depending on your state of mind. But the result is delicious and can be used as a dip, in sandwiches, and in wraps. The fresher your ingredients, the greener the dip will be, the more it'll brighten your table.
Adapted from Love Food Eat
| Yield: 3 to 4 servings | Time: 35 minutes |
Ingredients
1 cup shelled and skinned fresh fava beans
Handful of almonds, roasted and chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper
Olive oil and chopped almonds for serving
Preparation
Begin by shelling the fava beans. Bring a bit pot of salted water to boil. Drop the cleaned beans into it and let it simmer for a minute. Drain the water and immediately drop the beans into a bowl of ice cold water to stop them from cooking further. Peel back each of the beans to reveal and separate the inner pods. Discard the outer peel.
In a small pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and simmer for a minute. Next add the chopped almonds, fava beans, basil, salt and pepper. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. Turn off the flame and let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the bean mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until chunky or creamy—your call. Add water and salt as needed. You can also make it creamy and stir-in small pieces of almonds at the end to give the final dip a little crunch.
Serve topped with virgin olive oil and any remaining chopped almonds. The dip can be paired with chips or crostini and fresh bread. It will stay fresh refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.