Artichokes and Fava Beans - Carciofi e Fave

 

Carciofi e fave is an ancient dish, spread a little in all parts of Italy, but my recipe is a typical dish of Abruzzo, which was prepared in late spring, when all the vegetables used were fresh and available. 

If the fresh fava beans are not available or too costly, I substitute frozen ones.

Ingredients
1 lemon
6 baby artichokes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red liquid gold or red pepper flakes in oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 pounds fresh young fava beans, shelled or frozen
1/2 cup water
Salt and pepper

Directions

Squeeze the juice of half the lemon into a bowl of water. Trim the artichokes to the hearts.  Remove the choke, cut the artichokes into 1/4-inch thick slices, then toss the slices into the lemony water.

In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the onion and garlic. Sweat the vegetables in the oil until they are soft and just golden brown. Add the fava beans and stir to mix well. Drain the artichoke slices then add to the pan with the favas.* Add the liquid gold or red peppers flakes in oil and mix well.  Add 1/2 cup water, cover and simmer gently. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Carciofi e Fave

* When using frozen fava beans, I cook them separately by boiling them in water until tender.  Drain and add to the cooked artichokes.  Mix well and cook for few more minutes.

You may also like Dandelions and Fava Beans - Cicoria e Fave

Legumes on the Table - Legumi sulla Tavola

Legumes are often valued as an inexpensive source of protein, but are notably absent from most Western menus.

Legumes—including beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, chickpeas, fava beans, and soybeans—are good sources of fiber and have a low glycemic index.   According to experts, a diet high in legumes may be beneficial for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Beans in tomato sauce

 One common complaint against legumes is the bloating and gas.

 I have some tips to ease the transition to including more legumes in your diet:

• add them in slowly, one serving a day for a week.

•  change the water halfway through cooking them.

•  soak overnight with a pinch of baking soda and

         change the water before cooking

• mix with other vegetables (escarole and beans)

 If you cook dry beans at home, instead of eating canned beans, you’ll skip a great deal of unnecessary sodium as well as byproducts of the can lining. 

Beans cooking

These are some of my favorite dishes: 

Lentils

Chickpeas with olive oil and onion

Fava beans

Escarole and beans

Start slow and add a variety of legumes to your healthful diet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/health/beans-and-greens-a-power-couple-recipes-for-health.html?ref=dining

http://www.wsj.com/articles/want-great-longevity-and-health-it-takes-a-village-1432304395

Dandelions and Fava Beans - Cicoria e Fave

Wild dandelions

As Italian children, who among us has not been in the meadows with their parents or grandparents to collect wild dandelions (cicoria)? 

Those days are gone and so are the meadows due to roads and housing.

Today, we grow chicory (Catalogna variety)  
in our vegetable garden.  

Not only they are visually beautiful, but their bitterness goes well with strong summer flavors. 

All photos - Copyright - ©2011 - La Casa e Il Giardino – picasaweb

The Catalogna variety is known as Italian dandelion.  It is dark green and it has toothed leaves.  It’s a “cutting” chicory in one of its most wildish forms.  The inner tender leaves I use in salads and the outer leaves I cook with fava beans or other mixed greens like Swisschard.

Mixed salad

 

Ingredients for 4 people

Dandelions – 2 lbs. (available in most supermarkets and farmers' markets)

Fava beans – 2 lbs. fresh (1 lb. frozen)
Chili – one dried one, chopped
Garlic – 2 cloves
Olive oil – 1/3 cup
Salt and pepper to taste

Cicoria e Fave

Wash the dandelions well, cut them up roughly and put them to boil in plenty of salted water. Boil for 15 minutes or until the thicker bits are soft.  Drain.  In another pan of water, cook fava beans until tender.  Drain.  In a pan, heat the oil on a low flame and add the garlic roughly cut into quarters, the chili pepper, salt and pepper to taste.  After a few minutes add the dandelions and cook slowly for another 10 minutes.  Add the cooked fava beans into the dandelion mixture and mix well.

LAST NIGHT DINNER - Dandelions, Fava Beans and Wild Pollock

Boy, that was good! 

Once a week, we have fish for dinner.  So yesterday, I went shopping for fish.  I am frugal and picky when it comes to fish.  I try to stay away from farm-raised fish. The farm-raised fish are fattier because they are largely confined and fed a steady diet of formulated protein pellets.  They are also treated with vaccines and antibiotics to ward off infection. With these type of facts, I choose to "go wild".  I bought wild Pollock. Pollock is a cheaper and versatile alternative to cod and haddock.  Price $2.99/lb.



Braised Wild Pollock Steak

Braised Wild Pollock Steak


One Pollock steak (1" thick)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
Salt and pepper

In a non-stick skillet, add the olive oil, garlic and shallots.  Saute' briefly.  Add the fish and saute' first on high to sear it on the outside until it is browned to give it visual interest and to develop flavour (about 5 minutes on each side).  Add the chopped thyme, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and continue to cook on low heat for an additional 15 minutes turning over once.

Wine Pairing – You know the famous rule white wine with fish, fish with white wine. The main rule to remember about pairing wine with food is that there are no rules: you should drink the wines you like with the foods you like. I prefer to pair any food with my robust, home-made wine.

Alla salute!

Images: ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino -picasaweb