Author Notes
This soup is laborious because it requires peeling the beans twice: the first to remove them from the pods and the second to remove the outer skin. However, all the work and effort involved in preparing this fava bean soup are, in the end, rewarded with a delicate soup, both in taste and color. Garnishes are optional but I recommend that you do not ignore them. The crispy fried onion, the slightly salty feta cheese and the freshness of the peppermint transform a soup that is very simple in its genesis in a harmony of different flavors. —Paula | my common table
Ingredients
- For the soup:
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500 grams
fava (broad) beans (about 2kg in the pods)
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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1
large onion, broadly chopped
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2
garlic cloves, halved
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1
small leek, just the white part, sliced
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1
large potato, diced
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vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
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1 liter
Sea salt, to taste
- Garnishes (optional, if you have some dietary restrictions you may have to skip some of these):
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Feta cheese
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Fried onions
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Mint leaves, chopped
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Little pieces of fried bacon
Directions
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Begin by removing the beans from the pods and then skin them, removing the outer shell.
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Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and leek and sauté for 5 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent.
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Add the potatoes and fava beans and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add broth, or water, and season with salt (note that if you are using a broth, it will already have some salt). Bring to a boil and cook for 25 minutes on a low heat.
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Make a puree with the hand blender. Serve the fava bean soup warm, with little bits of feta cheese, fried onion and chopped mint leaves (optional).
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