Fava Bean Recipe

     Salty, crunchy bits of pancetta and earthy cremini mushrooms add richness without overwhelming the beans.  Serve this dish with chicken or toss with pasta.

Fava Beans with Mushrooms

and Crispy Pancetta

Ingredients

2 lbs. fava beans pods, shelled (about 2 1/2 cups after shelling)

2 oz. thinly sliced pancetta

1 Tbsp olive oil

6 oz. cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

      Bring a medium pot of well salted water to a boil.  Fill a medium bowl with ice water.

     Boil the fava beans until bright green, about 1 minute.  Drain and transfer to the ice bath to cool.  Drain again.

     Peel each fava bean by pinching one end between your thumb and forefinger to pop the bean from the skin.

     In a 12" skillet cook the pancetta in the oil over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a paper-lined plate.

     Add the fava beans and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until the mushrooms are tender and browned in spots, about 6 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Crumble the pancetta over and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Ronne Day and found on page 14 of Fine Cooking, April/May 2015 edition.