Low Fat Fava Beans With Seven Salads Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 pound skinless dried fava beans

--2 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil

-- preferably extra-virgin

salt, to taste

1 pound spinach

-- dandelion greens or broccoli rabe

-- washed and coarsely chopped

2/3 cups imported black olives, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, separated into

-- rings

1 cup stemmed arugula or watercress

1/2 cup pepperocini

-- italian pickled peppers

-- drained and sliced

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

Method

1.Put fava beans in a large bowl of cold water.

Let stand in a cool place for at least 4 hours or overnight.

If the weather is warm, place the bowl in the refrigerator.

2.Drain and rinse the beans.

Place them in a large pot and add fresh water to cover by 1 inch.

Bring to a slow simmer and cook, uncovered, over low heat until the beans are very soft and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.

Stir often toward the end of the cooking time, and add a little more water if the beans become too dry.

Mash the beans with a potato masher until smooth.

Stir in oil and season with salt.

3.In a large pot, combine spinach, dandelion greens or broccoli rabe and 2 tablespoons of water.

Cover and cook over medium-high heat until wilted and tender, about 3 minutes.

Transfer to a colander and press out any excess cooking liquid.

4.Spoon the warm fava bean puree into the center of a warmed platter.

Place cooked greens, olives, onions, arugula or watercress, pepperoncini, tomatoes and radishes in 7 separate piles around the puree and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

260 calories per serving: 12 grams protein, 11 grams fat (1.

5 grams saturated fat), 32 grams carbohydrate; 695 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fiber.

Cooks Comments and Tips