Fava Bean Risotto w/ Garlic Scape-Mint Pesto

This past weekend afforded us our first fava harvest: the first of the season, as well as  the first ever.  I've never grown favas before, and I have to say it's been fun.  I set the seed back in February, and they are coming into their own now. These guys are planted in a side bed that only gets part sun with native clay soil to boot, and they still came through--lovely easy-going favas.

Risotto was the first thing that came to mind while picking the beans, and as garlic scapes abound at the moment, fava risotto with scape pesto seemed only natural.

Fava Risotto with Garlic-Mint Pesto

Makes 2 generous portions, double for 4-6 average servings

3/4 cup arborio rice
2 cups warm veggie broth
1/2 cup white wine
2/3 cup finely chopped onion/shallot/leek (your choice...I used a combo of onion and shallot)
2 tablespoons garlic scape pesto (jump to pesto recipe)
2 cups shelled and skinned fava beans
olive oil for saute-ing (or whatever you prefer to saute with)
salt and pepper to taste

First, blanche and de-skin the favas:

After shelling the individual beans, bring a pot of water to the boil. Meanwhile, have a large bowl of cold water floating with a tray or two of ice cubes standing by. Drop the shelled favas into the boiling water and blanche for ~ 1 minute. Drain the favas of hot water, rinse briefly in cold tap water and dump them into the bowl of cold water and ice to refresh the beans. When the beans are completely cool, drain off the cold water and de-skin them...it should be as easy as applying pressure to one end of the bean so it pops out of the thick outer skin. Set the favas aside.

In a large pot, over medium heat,  add some olive oil and saute the onion/shallots until translucent. Add the arborio rice and give it a good stir through. Add the white wine and stir the rice as it comes to a simmer. As the liquid cooks off, add the warm veggie broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently until the rice has become plump and tender.

Just before serving, stir in 2 tablespoons of the garlic-mint pesto and the blanched favas. Serve with pea shoots or other garnish of choice. (Salt and pepper to taste.)

Garlic Scape-Mint Pesto

This scape pesto is very basic, so you should use any type of pesto that you like to substitute if this doesn't float your boat:

12 large garlic scapes
10 - 12  mint leaves ( or more/less to taste) I used a combo of spearmint and pineapple mint
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
water/oil to blend

Mix all ingredients in a food processor...I added about 1/8 cup water to get it started, then drizzled in some olive oil. Unctuous pestos are dreamy...but keep in mind you can add more oil later...I like to make the original a bit lean and add more oil in to taste for each recipe I make with it.

large  scapes  and mint 
(I didn't use all that mint for the recipe...only about 10-12 individual leaves)

favas on the stem

Roseann LaPonte

Rosanne Tobin