Peeling Fava Beans

Until recently, fava beans were almost impossible to find in American markets. When I used to buy them, at an Italian market in New York, I could pick through them at my leisure—it’s important to feel each pod to make sure that there are plenty of beans in it. But now I’m rarely alone. When quickly blanched, fava beans are bright green and tender and have a flavor that’s vaguely cauliflower-like, but more delicate. The downside is that fava beans have to be “peeled” twice: first shucked by running your thumb along the seam of the felt-lined pod and then peeled individually with a thumbnail or paring knife. If you’re peeling a lot of fava beans, it’s worthwhile to plunge the shucked but unpeeled beans into a pot of boiling water for a minute and then quickly rinse with cold water to loosen the skin. But when doing only a few, I rarely bother.