Fava beans are a pain to peel, but how can you celebrate spring without them? Make a few of them go a long way by combining them in a risotto with baby artichokes (another spring favorite). Shaving the cheese with a vegetable peeler gives you delicate sheets that soften over the hot risotto.
6 SERVINGS
1 |
pound fava beans, in the shell |
|
Juice of 1 lemon |
1½ |
pounds baby artichokes |
1 |
bunch spring onions or green onions |
1 |
14½-ounce can chicken or vegetable broth |
2 |
tablespoons olive oil |
|
Salt |
3 |
cups Arborio rice |
2 |
tablespoons butter |
4 |
sprigs mint |
1 |
ounce pecorino Romano |
Shell the favas and place them in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse in cold water. Peel the tough skins by cutting one end with your thumbnail and squeezing the bean out with your thumb and forefinger. The bean will shoot out; aim carefully into the bowl. Set aside.
Fill a bowl with cold water and add the lemon juice. Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichokes until you come to pale green leaves. Cut away the top third of the leaves. Using a paring knife, peel the tough green skin from the base and stem of each artichoke. (Do not remove the stems.) Cut lengthwise into quarters. Set aside in the lemon juice and water.
Trim the roots and dark green tops from the onions, then cut them lengthwise into ½-inch-thick segments.
In a large pan, combine the broth and enough water to make 8 cups and bring to a boil over high heat. (You will probably need only 6 to 7 cups, but the broth will reduce during boiling.)
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the artichokes from the water and add them to the skillet along with the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes and onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Add the rice and cook, stirring, until all the grains are coated with oil and the outer covering becomes slightly translucent, about 3 minutes.
Begin adding the hot broth, starting with 1 cup at a time. Cook, stirring, until the broth has all but evaporated, leaving just a film in the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes. Add another cup of broth and repeat. After the second cup, begin adding broth ½ cup at a time, repeating the procedure until the grains are swollen and tender to the bite. The rice should be firm but not chalky at the center.
Remove from the heat and immediately add the fava beans, butter and 4 or 5 mint leaves. Stir vigorously to incorporate the butter. Season with salt to taste and serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining mint leaves and shaving sheets of pecorino Romano over the top with a vegetable peeler.