Fava( aka Broad beans) Beans 'le carne dei poveri" the meat of the poor, now trendy again in the best and traditional Vegan recipes

Nothing says Spring better than fresh fava beans. I grew up knowing them as broad beans.
Tender beans that are meaty in flavor and are great fresh or dried.
Here are some recipe ideas that have been traditionally vegan for thousands of years.
Please make the most of these cancer fighting, bad cholesterol lowering vegetables/legumes.
Some of these recipes can even be made with  frozen or canned fava's when Spring ones are not available.

Fresh Fava recipes, (these ideas use shelled beans, out of their pods and tender young beans, older ones may have their skin removed before sauteing.)

1) slowly cook in a medium hot  olive oil with chopped scallions and garlic, finish with lemon juice/white wine and minced parsley and oregano.

2) saute with al dente new potatoes, olive oil, garlic and basil leaves

3) saute with fresh  sage leaves, chopped or halved ripe tomatoes, garlic and chopped black olives. Finish with white wine, lemon juice or cream

Add blanched greens* to any of the above recipe and some fresh walnuts and or raisins.
In Spring* use tender young dandelions or nettles.

4) make a wonderful soup with fresh fava beans, peas, potatoes and artichokes, finish with minced parsley

Dried Favas:
5)Make hummus with cooked dried fava's, tahini, garlic lemon juice and olive oil (recipe in Recipes for Success, THE GREAT GRANNY Diet Vol. 1
 http://www.amazon.com/kindle
6) this is a fabulous soup/sauce that everyone thinks is made with cream.

1 pound dried fava beans..place in a large pan with cold water, bring to boil. Remove from heat and allow to soak for 1 hour.
Using a paring knife slit each bean & remove the skin and the small "tongue".
Drain the beans and pour off any water.
Return the skinned beans to the pan, cover with fresh cold water and bring to boil then simmer for 30 mins+ until tender.(make sure the pan doesn't boil dry).
Stir briskly to break up the beans and produce a cream like sauce.

In another pan cook 2 cups onion in boiling water with 2 tbsp olive oil.
Allow the water to evaporate and saute the onions. You may add some fresh asparagus or if you have them fennel fronds and bulb finely minced.

Add this to the cream beans, and allow to marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
Serve warmed in bowls, adding water or vegetable stock to thin down as a soup.
Or thick as cream with any cooked pasta, passing round extra virgin olive oil to be added as needed.
This is called macca in Sicily, and is fabulous.