Recipe: Favas with Cilantro

Recipe Source: Goldstein, Joyce.  Savoring Spain & Portugal.  Oxmoor House, London, p. 176

I was drawing up a menu for a recent large gathering of people.  The gathering was to take place at a campground up in Maine.  I needed to make the dish something that could be served at room temperature and didn't need to be refrigerated, since facilities could best be described as "primitive."  I wanted to make something vegetarian, both to serve alongside the meat main dish and in case any vegetarians happened to show up.  This is one of the dishes that I found. 

I really didn't make a huge number of changes.  I omitted the bacon, because I wanted the dish to be vegetarian, because I didn't want to have to refrigerate the dish, and because I once promised a woman that I would not serve pork at one of these events.  (Yes, I know that turkey bacon exists, and I've heard rumors of beef bacon, but come on.)  I increased the garlic, although not by too much, and I tripled the recipe to accommodate the large number of guests we expected.  On the whole, I would say that the dish came out pretty well, and I can tell you that it will keep long enough to use it for lunches, et cetera. 

Favas with Cilantro (serves 20; approx. $0.54/serving)

3 lb frozen fava beans (or baby lima beans)

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 onions, chopped

10 tablespoons minced jarred garlic

3 cups water

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 bunches cilantro, washed and chopped

Equipment:

• Large saucepan with lid

1. Thaw the beans.
2. In the saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the onion and saute until the onion is tender. 
4. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute.
5. Add the beans, bay leaves and enough water to barely cover. 
6. Cover and simmer about 10 - 15 minutes. 
7. Transfer to the serving vessel.  Add the cilantro and serve. 

Technorati Tags: Portugese food,fava beans,cilantro,vegetarian dishes,vegan recipes,recipes

Comments

[cookinpanda]

Tons of garlic, just the way I like it! This is such as simple and easy dish. This is the sort o thing (because I have all the ingredients on hand) I'll whip up for myself when I'm in a huge hurry, and it's always tasty an nutritious.