Submitted by Amber Engle

About the cook: Amber Engle is a molecular biologist by training, but currently duel wields the worlds of wildlife research and chef work. On her blog, Twists & Zests, she focuses on seasonal food and drinks with a dash of science – just enough to be helpful and not make your eyes cross with technical details. She believes understanding the whys of cooking can help anyone gain more proficiency in the kitchen.

About the dish: Fresh fava beans marinated with dill and caraway make for a great recipe to add to your next spring mezze platter or cheese board.

National Origin: None

Serves: 5

Estimated Time: Over 2 Hours

Ingredients:

2 c/300g shelled fava beans
½ tsp/1g dried dill
½ tsp/2g caraway seed
½ tsp/1g ground pepper
¼ tsp salt
2” segment of lemon peel with as little white pith as possible
¼ c/60ml white wine vinegar
¼ c/60ml olive oil

Preparation:

Blanch fava beans for 1 minute. Place beans in a heat proof bowl and prepare another bowl with ice water. Cover beans in boiling water and allow to sit for 1 minute. Drain and immediate plunge into ice water. Allow to sit until room temperature.
Peel beans by pinching the smooth end (or slice slightly) to create a hole in the skin. Pinch the opposite end and push the halves of the bean out.
Combine all spices with vinegar and olive oil, whisking thoroughly, and add peeled beans. Cover and allow to sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Agitate occasionally to keep the vinegar and oil distributed evenly.
Serve with crusty bread or other starch to soak up the sauce.

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