In recent days I gathered the last fava beans from the garden for this season. After saving some in the freezer, I decided to use them to prepare a simple, wholesome lunch together with another seasonal ingredient. Thus was born rice with fava beans and fresh spring onion: a delicate, fragrant dish perfect for celebrating the flavors of the garden.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (about 5.6 oz) parboiled rice
- 7 oz (about 1 1/4 cups) fava beans
- 1 spring onion (fresh)
- 2 leaves mint
- extra-virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- as needed water
Preparation
Start with the fava beans: remove them from their pods and also peel off the outer skin. Transfer them to a pot and cover with water, leaving it about 3/8 inch above the level of the beans.
Bring to a boil over high heat; once boiling, lower the heat, add a pinch of salt and cover with a lid. Let simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the water has reduced to about half. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of salted water for the time indicated on the package. I use parboiled rice because it holds its texture well, but you can choose the variety you prefer or have on hand.
When the fava beans have absorbed about half of the water, clean the spring onion by removing the outer layer and the end of the stalk. Finely chop it and add it to the beans along with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a grind of black pepper.
Continue cooking without the lid, still over low heat, until only a couple of tablespoons of liquid remain in the pan. Then turn off the heat.
Drain the rice and combine it with the fava beans, mixing well to blend the flavors. Finish with chopped fresh mint and serve.
Tips
I used late-harvest green fava beans, so they were slightly firmer. With younger, more tender fava beans the result will be more delicate in both texture and flavor, but equally delicious.
