Like fava beans? Try fava greens in dishes such as pasta shells
Recipe: Leaves taste great, need a lot less work
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Fava beans are a winter favorite in Northern California. Many gardeners I know plant them with no intention of eating the results; they use favas as a cover crop to keep down weeds and replenish the soil's nutrients. They treat favas like fancy alfalfa.
They're missing out -- twice. Planted now, this interesting vegetable actually offers two crops: The flavorful beans and the lesser-known greens.
With a delicate flavor all their own, the leaves of young fava plants cook just like spinach -- quickly. Also like spinach, it takes a lot of fava leaves to yield a cooked serving.
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Chefs use fava greens to add green color and distinct fava flavor to pastas and other dishes.
The greens also are used to stretch the impact of fava beans in a finished dish.
Fava beans are time-consuming to prepare; they need to be shelled twice. Fava greens offer some of that fava flavor with a lot less effort; Just remove the tough stems and wash.
Another plus for fava greens: They can be harvested four weeks after planting. When thinning rows of fava beans, keep the extras to use as greens.
Baked fava green-stuffed shells
Makes 3 to 4 servings
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Ingredients:
12 jumbo pasta shells
4 cups fresh fava greens, stemmed and washed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 cremini or white mushrooms, washed and
sliced
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, finely shredded (divided)
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
1 egg
Non-stick cooking spray
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or oil an 8-inch baking dish.
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Prepare pasta shells according to package directions until just tender. Drain and set aside.
Remove tough stems from fava greens. Make sure leaves are well washed.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté onions and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Transfer sautéed onions and mushrooms to food processor and pulse a few times.
Return the pan to the stove and add the other tablespoon of oil. Over medium heat, stir in the fava greens by handfuls; stir-fry until wilted.
Add cooked fava greens to the food processor and pulse lightly until mushroom-green mixture is chopped.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, Romano and 1 cup mozzarella cheeses. Beat egg and add to cheeses. Fold in mushroom-green mixture.
Stuff each cooked shell with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mushroom-green-cheese mixture. Arrange the stuffed shells in the prepared baking dish.
Make sauce. In a pan, gradually heat diced tomatoes. Stir in wine. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the stuffed shells. Top with remaining shredded mozzarella.
Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until done. Cover with foil if cheese topping starts to become too brown.