Getting fresh fava beans ready for cooking is a two-step process. First, remove them from their shells, which are quite bulky. Run your finger down along the seam to open up the shell. Collect the beans in a bowl.
In addition to being protected by their shell, fava beans have a second line of defense, a thick peel that needs to be removed before eating. To do this, drop the shelled beans into boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and shock in cold water to stop the cooking. Squeezing one end of the bean, you should be able to pop it out of its skin.