This soup couldn't be more simple: fava beans and cream, pretty much. It has a luscious texture (as much from the pureed fava beans as from the cream) and rich taste (ditto) that comes alive with a sprinkle of minced chives on top.
Be warned, this soup is best consumed in tiny portions. It's best as an introduction to a meal rather than the backbone of it. It makes a wonderfully indulgent first course, however, to a light spring supper.
Note: If you've never cooked fava beans, see this summary of how to shell them.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. fava beans
- Salt
- 1/2 to 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Chives, minced (for garnish)
Preparation:
- Remove the fava beans from their pods. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add enough salt to make the water taste salty, and cook beans until inner-bean is tender to the bite, about 3 minutes.
- Run the beans through a food mill or shell them again. Cook the resulting mashed or shelled beans in a medium saucepan, covered, with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth over medium-high heat until the beans are very soft - mushy even.
- Whirl the beans in a blender until super-duper smooth (let them whirl at least a full minute or two, scraping down the sides of the blender with a silicone spatula as necessary; this will seem like a long time, but the extra processing will make a smoother puree). Add up to another 1/2 cup broth, if needed to keep the blender blending.
- Heat the puree over lowest possible heat, add salt to taste, and stir in the cream. Serve in tiny portions garnished with minced chives.
Makes 6 small servings
