fresh fava beans

In my quest for seasonal eating I have been reading several cookbooks. I want to be more engaged in my meals and appreciate my food. Get off the whole buying out, eating automatically tilt a whirl. Several places I read mentions of fresh fava beans a spring time delicacy. I read that they took some effort to cook, but the writers all claimed they were more than worth it. I noted it was spring now, but went no further.

Then at the coop this weekend there they were. Great big pods with a sign beside them 'fava beans' and I knew the moment had come. I bought a big bag and cooked them up.

The commonest recipe [even in the Silver Spoon] seems to be making a puree out of them and eating with bread. So after I shelled them, blanched them, iced them and skinned them that is what I did. It was fine, but worth all that work, I don't think so. They were more work than pitting cherries, more work than the homemade meatballs I also made today, but not worth it in my opinion.

Perhaps like so many fresh beans [and peas] the best thing to do is to pop them raw directly into ones' mouth. I have never been a Lima bean fan either so perhaps that's why I found them just ok. So my quest for newness satisfied I don't think Fava beans will be reappearing on my plate any time soon.