Fava beans

[Lyndzie]

I got a pound of fava beans in shell. I’ve never had them before. What should I do with them?

[Pumpkin Pete]

Hi Lyndzie,

It sounds like you have purchased fresh fava beans which are also commonly known as broad beans.
When you say 'shell' I assume you mean the pod within which the beans are contained.
Once you remove them from the pod you are 'good to go'. I steam them until soft which should take from 5 to 10 minutes.
Many people 'double peel' the fava beans. That means once they remove them from the pod they peel the skin from the fava beans.
I don't do this as I feel it's unnecessay and besides is fiddly.

I write about fava beans in my series of food tips that I write for my local community garden.
Here is the link;
https://sites.google.com/site/qhuccommunitygarden/peter-s-food-tips-from-our-garden
Click onto the food tip: F for Fava Beans

[Lyndzie]

Thanks Pete! I’ve used dried broad beans in soups before, so it’s good to know this isn’t a totally new food, just a new way to prepare.