Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds fava beans
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt
Pea shoots, for garnish (optional)
Baguette, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside.

To prep and cook fava beans, pull on the stem of the pod and pull to open. If a pod doesn’t open easily, use a paring knife and slit the bean pod open, exposing the spongy insides and the beans. Remove the beans and discard the pods. In a pot of salted boiling water, blanch the beans for 2 minutes. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge into prepared bowl of ice water. With your fingers, and helped with the tip of a paring knife is necessary, slip the outer skin off of each bean, revealing the inner bright green fava. Discard the outer skin.

In a blender, place fava beans, garlic, mint and olive oil and puree. While blender is running, stream in water until consistency is of hummus, or a spreadable puree. Add lemon juice and salt. Serve aside toasted bread garnished with pea shoots or as a dip.