Fava beans are in!

...actually, I believe they're on their way out; it's usually the end of the season when my ghetto natural food store starts to carry things.  Fava beans are common in Mediterranean cuisine, and they're also a popular snack sold roasted and coated in neon-red chili powder and "lime" flavoring at my neighborhood panaderia. I'd never tried them before, but their similarity in appearance to lima beans (which I have hated since childhood) turned me off.  Well, that and the supposed terror of preparing them.  But you know what?  They're really not difficult to make, and they are DELICIOUS!  Bright and zingy, these beans cook up tender and mild enough to compliment just about anything.  I kept it simple with this dish to keep from drowning them in other flavors.

Don't eat the outer skin!  Yuck. 

My tip for removing the beans form their skins is written into the directions; here is another nifty discussion on the topic.  Don't avoid them; they are so worth the little bit of extra effort! You can eat this simple rice dish alongside grilled fish or chicken, but I gobbled up a double portion for lunch and didn't miss the carcass.

I also use kitchen shears to speed up the scallion slicing.

Fava Beans and Rice

Serves 4 as a side

1 pound fava beans, shelled
1 cup jasmine rice
2 scallions, sliced (white and green parts)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 fresh mint leaves, chiffonaded
Salt and black pepper to taste

Cook the rice in salted water according to package directions.

In the meantime, boil fava beans in salted water for 2 minutes.  Drain in a colander and, when cool enough to touch, slip out of their outer skins.  (I like to pierce the skin with a pairing knife, then peel it away while also squeezing out the inner bean.)

When rice is done, place in a serving bowl and stir in the fava beans, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle with the olive oil and scatter scallions and chopped mint on top.  Serve hot or room temperature.

And I added a fried egg on top!

Recipe review: Mushroom "risoniotto"

If you haven't yet explored River Cottage Veg by the terribly clever Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, you really should.  Junkies of all things Gordon Ramsay will recognize him as the agricultural consultant on The F Word (by far Ramsay's best show, in my opinion)--he was the guy bringing over lambs, hogs, and other temporary family pets destined to be slaughtered and served in the kitchen at the end of each season.  Never mind the therapy those Ramsay kids will need in their adult lives, Fearnley-Whittingstall is admirably insistent on sustainability and staying as close to the farm with our food as possible.  River Cottage Veg is the latest in his series of cookbooks detailing what he serves on his urban-ish farm, River Cottage.  The entire book is vegetarian, and it uses practical, common ingredients in some creative (but not crazy) combinations.  A great example is his comforting risotto-like dish made from mushrooms and orzo pasta.  I made a several alterations here, which I think would be Hugh's style as well.  This is an easy, tasty dish to serve on the side of something more substantial or as a main course with salad, and it's open to substitutions as your pantry and refrigerator demand.

Mushroom "risoniotto"

adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Veg

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side

2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 pound mixed mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
8 oz. whole wheat orzo
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons plain yogurt (the original calls for heavy cream, which would be less tangy)
salt and black pepper
generous handful fresh parsley, chopped

Bring a medium saucepan of well-salted water to boil and cook orzo according to package directions.

In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 8 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and some salt and cook until their liquid has released and evaporated and there is a little browning in the pan.  Add the balsamic, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until there is almost no liquid left.  Add the white wine and do the same.  Lower the heat to a low simmer and stir in the yogurt and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the cooked orzo and stir into the mushroom mixture.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

(This photo is from Hugh's fancy-schmancy book.)

Turning Lebanese (salad)...

Come to think of it, I don't even know if this recipe is a rip-off of a Lebanese salad.  Maybe it's an Israeli salad--?  While I sort out my accidental cultural insensitivity (and I will later apologize like Paula Deen), please enjoy this variation on yet another something you can eat cold for lunch or dinner.

Lebanese-American Salad

Serves 3-4 as a light meal

1 cup pearled barley, rinsed and sorted
Salt
1 cup fresh parsley
½ cup fresh mint
1 garlic clove, peeled
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup diced cucumber
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
2 scallions, sliced
4 Romain leaves, rinsed, dried, and chiffonaded
2 tablespoons slivered almonds (optional)

Cook the barley in well-salted water about 20 minutes or until al dente.  (Or, skip the salt, use about 2 quarts water, and keep the spent liquid to drink later.)  Drain in a colander and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, make the pesto: place parsley, mint, garlic, lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste in a food processor.  Blend until it forms a chunky pesto and stir into the barley.  When the barley is room temperature, add all the vegetables and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the almonds on top if using.

An old English favorite for Independence Day

I am going to write something shocking to regular readers: I'm trying to cut down on my alcohol consumption.  It's not necessarily that I want to, but as I near my 39th (no really, it's not 39 + 2 or anything) birthday, I find that my body is just not flushing out the toxins at the same rate as it did in my 20s.  Or even last year.  So, I have been on the hunt to replace cocktails during cocktail hour, because I still think that breaking to enjoy the afternoon on the porch or patio should be considered a mandatory part of your daily schedule.  But feeling dehydrated and slightly dizzy all night is no fun. While those around me can still pound the vodka and gin, I'm trying to mix it up with some healthier alternatives.  Perhaps you are, too. Or perhaps you were never a borderline alcoholic and you're just looking to add to your smug, better-than-me collection of health tonics.  Whatever.

Barley water is an old-fashioned English drink for summertime, and it is surprisingly refreshing.  It will keep for a week in the refrigerator once it's cooled, and you can always throw in a splash of your favorite clear liquor if you just can't stand to go boozeless.  Whip up a batch or two for your July 4th picnic and enjoy the irony.

Basic Barley Water

Makes about 1.5 quarts

1 cup pearled barley, rinsed and sorted
2 quarts water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
scant 1/4 cup honey

Combine the barley and water in a medium sauce pan, cover, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until barley is tender, about 20 minutes.  Strain out the barley (keep it, for goodness' sake--I have a salad recipe coming for that on Friday) and whisk the honey and lemon juice into the cooking liquid.  Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator before drinking.

Variations

All of these additions can just be added to the final product while it's still hot...

• 2 sprigs of fresh mint + a few fresh lavender flowers
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 teaspoon rose water + 4 cardamom pods
• 6 thin slices of cucumber and 1 thick lemon slice