Hello friends and happy friday,

First - WOW!!! I can't thank you all enough for the overwhelmingly amazing response to my pandemic love story email last week. I woke up that morning with a "vulnerability hangover" (thank you Brené Brown for this incredibly accurate term) from sharing so much, but it passed quickly thanks to your countless texts and emails of gratitude and support. I AM going to reply to all of your responses so just hang tight :). Thank you thank you for all the kind words - they really mean so much to me! (And if you didn't read it yet, heads up that many people reported it's a tear jerker. Consider yourself warned, and catch up here if you missed it.)

Second - I didn't even realize until after I sent out that email that I have SO MUCH TO SHARE about my new adventures cooking regularly for two! It's been super fun to have a second opinion on my cooking, and when he loves something, it makes me even more compelled to share it with you! I've especially enjoyed his reactions to some of the more obscure foods that I make... like today's special veggie:

FRESH, WHOLE FAVA BEANS!

These are seriously one of my favorite foods. I only make them one way... and it's SO GOOD I have yet to consider seeking out another recipe. I've made the original recipe even simpler and easier over the years (as I tend to do) and I'll be sharing that with you today!

These favas make for a hearty meal that meat-eaters especially will LOVE! (As confirmed by the rave reviews from my fiancé... who I think I'll be referring to as my CEE - Chief Executive Eater - from here on out bc that sounds fun!)

Fresh fava beans are plentiful at the California farmers markets right now, but I had never seen or eaten these till I moved here so not sure about their availability in the rest of the country - if you see them or know about this, please let me know!

Even if you can't find fresh fava beans, the sauce in this recipe is REALLY WORTH MAKING and has become one of my go-to's on its own! It's a kind of cousin of caesar but with fresh herbs and chili flakes, so a little more summery and with a kick. If the anchovies scare you... you gotta give it a try! When blended in with lemon and garlic - any fishiness turns into pure deliciousness, IMO. They also add some nice protein and umami to the meal, which makes a big plate of favas totally satisfying for dinner.

These are kind of an obscure food, so let me introduce you to the lovely fava and tell you even more about why I love them...

I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but they are large - usually about six inches long and almost an inch wide.

Also known as broad beans, these green beauties are notoriously laborious to shell/peel (which is why my fav recipe skips this step). They are most tender in the spring, when the plants are young and the beans smaller.

Going down a wikipedia rabbit hole on favas, I learned that they are eaten ALL over the world!! From Ethiopia to Italy, Ecuador, China, Egypt, Nepal, Peru, Sweden, and elsewhere! If you’ve ever had green falafel - that could be because it’s made with favas instead of chickpeas, as is apparently traditional in Egypt (if anyone can confirm this from experience, please do)!

The hardy fava bean plant can withstand cold temperatures, and is often used as a cover crop because it fixes nitrogen in the soil. (A cover crop is something you grow in the off-season to promote soil health and biodiversity.) Seems like this might explain why they are grown and eaten all over the world!

My favorite preparation - written up below - turns whole fava beans into the ‘RIBS’ of VEGETABLES!

They’re savory, flavor-PACKED, hearty but not heavy, and finger-lickin' delicious. The original recipe is a "genius recipe" from one of my favorite cookbooks/columns by the same name. The first time I made this, it immediately went into my “recipe arsenal” and I've been eating these regularly every spring and summer since.

What I love most about this treatment is: NO shelling, NO peeling. (Less waste, less work, and MORE FOOD - a win win win!) The pods are just as delicious as the beans inside - who knew!

Grilling (per the original recipe) is ideal, but they also taste just as good roasted in the oven. In making this many times, I’ve adapted the recipe: instead of tossing favas with all the flavor components, I now toss them simply in oil and a little salt/pepper before roasting/grilling, and while those are cooking, I throw all the other seasonings into a 2-cup pyrex and blend them up into a sauce with the immersion blender. This means less chopping, and more even coating of sauce to fava. You can also make the sauce ahead, of course - it'll last a week in the fridge. After grilling or roasting the favas, I pour the sauce overtop and eat the fava pods like ribs, doing extra dips of sauce as required. Eating with your hands and biting the pod out of the plant “ribs” is all part of the finger-licking, messy-delicious experience. You won't eat the stringy parts on either side, or the ends, but you will eat everything else in between!

I hope you enjoy this - and non-Californians, please clue me in on whether you've seen favas around!

Love,
Jess


GPJ adaptation of Genius Recipe: Ignacio Mattos' Grilled Favas

Notes: I happily eat a full plate of fava beans with this sauce for a light-but-very-satisfying summer dinner. Maybe with a salad on the side if you're really hungry. These are best freshly grilled/roasted but I don't mind reheating as leftovers too so feel free to make extra!

Ingredients:

Grilled/Roasted Favas

• ~2 lbs fresh, whole fava beans - for a full dinner, I'd estimate 1lb per adult; as a side dish, 1/2 lb per person
• oil + salt

Instructions for Grilling:

1. Preheat the grill.
2. Make the sauce by adding all ingredients to a 2-cup pyrex or tall/wide container and blending with an immersion blender. (You can also use a food processor or small blender.) If you don't have one of these tools, just mince and chop the anchovies, garlic, and herbs, then shake with the liquid ingredients in a jar to combine. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.
3. In a medium or large bowl or sheet tray, drizzle whole favas with oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat.
4. Grill for a few minutes on each side until the pods are charred and softened, almost opening up.
5. Remove from the grill, serve on a plate and drizzle generously with sauce, with extra for dipping as needed.
6. I enjoy eating them with my hands like ribs. Hold by the ends and bite directly into them. You won't eat the stringy parts on either side, or the ends, but everything else in between is DELICIOUS!

Instructions for Roasting:

1. Preheat the oven to 450.
2. On a sheet tray, drizzle whole favas with oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss until well-coated. Roast for 10-20 minutes, checking periodically and tossing once if you remember, until the pods are charred and softened, almost opening up (but not too black).
3. While favas are roasting, make the sauce: Add all ingredients to a 2-cup pyrex or tall/wide container and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. (You can also use a food processor or small blender.) If you don't have one of these tools, just mince and chop the anchovies, garlic, and herbs, then shake with the liquid ingredients in a jar to combine. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.
4. When favas are done, serve on plates and drizzle generously with sauce, with extra sauce for dipping as needed.
   
5. I enjoy eating them with my hands like ribs. Hold one pod by the ends and bite directly into it. You won't eat the stringy parts on either side, or the ends, but everything else in between is DELICIOUS!