Fava beans arrived in our box from Mariquita Farms this week, and because folks are scared of them, I got two bags. Fava beans make me laugh – lots of farmers plant them to restore nitrogen to the soil in the off-season. And several years ago, a smart farmer thought to sell the beans, rather than churn the growth back into the soil to decompose, and began to sell them at Farmer’s Markets and fancy grocery stores. Now you see them everywhere this time of year, and sometimes the price is sorta high!
Fava beans also make me chuckle because they are a high-maintenance veggie, which might explain why I ended up with two bags. First you have to shell the beans, no easy task as the beans are soft of wedged within the soft comfort of the shell and you really have to work them out. Then you boil for 1-2 minutes, drain and take off the outer shell. Then you are ready to use them in your recipe! Fortunately, after that, it is easy-peasy, as fava beans are pretty versatile, especially in this quick pizza Julia pulls together with her stash.
In addition to Fava Beans, we also found Meyer Lemons, Portuguese Kale, Carrots, Okane Spinach, Lettuces, and Artichokes (pictured above). I also special ordered a big bag of wild/baby Arugula.
Here is my menu plan for the week of April 28:
Sunday: Fava Bean, Asparagus and Arugula Salad, grilled center-cut pork chops, cold carrot soup
Monday: Roast chicken, artichokes with homemade mayo, sauteed spinach, lettuce and arugula salad
Tuesday: “Manicotti” with Portuguese Kale, ricotta and shredded cheese, along with a meat sauce (what the heck, I am making the recipe up as I go along!), salad with arugula and avocado
Wednesday: Dinner out between track and music lessons
Friday: Takeout and Trashy TV
What is on your menu plan this week?