Seasonal Pantry: Fava beans cropping up at Sonoma County markets

Summer will be here any minute now, but that doesn't mean we should leapfrog over spring. It's not quite time for tomatoes, basil, eggplant or fresh chilies, but there is plenty to enjoy right now. Local asparagus and artichokes are in full swing, strawberries are coming on strong, green garlic is in mid-season, sugar snap peas are sweet and delicious, and the very first zucchini has made its appearance at local farmers markets and farm stands.

We also have fresh fava beans, one of spring's most fleeting pleasures.

Fava beans have long been used as a cover crop, planted in late fall and tilled under in the spring. They fix nitrogen in the soil, help with weed control and, when incorporated into the soil, add nutrients, micronutrients and texture. For years, local farmers did not harvest the beans, but now they are enormously popular and for good reason. The young tender beans are delicious when removed from their pods, blanched and peeled. The entire pod can be grilled, too, and eaten whole with a nice flake salt.

Favas are widely available these days, no longer limited to farmers markets and farm stands, though the best are often there.

A pound of favas in their pods will yield about a third of a cup of shelled and peeled beans, and the best way to peel them is to blanch them in boiling water for about 90 seconds.

This mitigates another problem, as well. Raw favas contain an enzyme that some people of Mediterranean descent cannot digest; eating them can cause favism, a type of anemia that sometimes proves fatal. Blanching the beans takes care of the problem.

Once shelled, blanched and peeled, fresh favas keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

A cup of fresh favas contains about 110 calories, 10 grams of protein and several vitamins and minerals.

Favas are one of those foods that are best prepared simply. Once you've shelled and peeled them, you don't need to do a lot more. They can be tossed with pasta and olive oil, folded into risotto or tossed into a warm vinaigrette and spooned over sliced potatoes for a simple spring salad. Add them to spring ragout and stir-fry, or use them as a bed for other foods such as grilled fish or roasted chicken.

A favorite lunch is burrata with the best olive oil, freshly peeled favas, lots of black pepper and a little spritz of lemon, served with or without grilled bread alongside.

A lot of recipes recommend puréeing the beans, but it is not a good idea. The texture is part of their delight, and mashing or puréeing them is no improvement.

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In this recipe, the delicate favas provide a contrast in both taste and texture to the crunchy bread.

Bruschetta with Fresh Favas

Serves 2 to 4

1 pound young fava bean pods

- Kosher salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

- Black pepper in a mill

- Chunk of Bellwether Pepato

4 thick slices of country-style Italian bread

Remove the favas from their pods. Fill a small saucepan two-thirds full with water, add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shelled favas and simmer for 90 seconds.

Drain the favas, rinse in cool water, and drain thoroughly. Remove the skin of each fava beans and place the skinned beans in a small serving bowl. Drizzle half the olive oil over the beans, and season with several turns of black pepper.

Use a vegetable peeler to make several curls of cheese, add it to the favas and toss gently. Set aside.

Preheat a stovetop grill or broiler, and when it is hot, grill or broil the bread until it is golden brown on both sides.

Set the bread on individual plates, drizzle with a little of the remaining olive oil, and serve immediately, with the fava beans on the side.

Guests spoon the favas and their juices on top of the bread.

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Each mouthful of this soup tastes like spring itself, delicate, pristine and green. The dish is inspired by risi e bisi, a classic Italian dish that is thicker than a typical soup but not quite as voluptuous as a true risotto.

Fresh Fava & Rice Soup with Mint

Serves 3 to 4

8 ounces Italian rice, preferably Vialone Nano or Carnaroli

- Kosher salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large shallot, minced

3 cups homemade chicken broth or mild vegetable broth

1½ cups freshly shelled, blanched and peeled favas (from about 3 pounds of pods)

3 ounces (3/4 cup) Estero Gold or Dry Jack, grated

- White pepper in a mill

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, very thinly sliced

- Meyer lemon wedges

Put the rice in a large saucepan, add about 2 teaspoons of salt and enough water to cover the rice by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, until the rice is almost tender and remove from the heat. Let rest for 10 minutes. If any liquid remains, tip the rice into a strainer, shake off the cooking water and return to the pot.

While the rice cooks, melt the butter in a medium sauté pan, add the shallot and cook over medium-low heat until it is limp and fragrant, about 7 minutes.

Add the shallots to the saucepan with the rice and pour in the broth. Simmer gently until the rice is very tender and the flavors have come together. Reduce the heat to low, add the favas and the cheese and stir slowly until the cheese is incorporated.

Remove from the heat, taste and correct for salt. Season with several turns of white pepper and stir in the mint.

Ladle the soup into soup plates and enjoy right away, with lemon wedges alongside.

Michele Anna Jordan is author of the new “Good Cook's” series. Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com and visit her blog at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.