This year was a first for me growing fava Beans or Broad Beans. Basically I amended the soil and dug my furrows and planted my fava bean seeds about 4 inches apart and planted 2 rows, each row about 13 feet long. I watered them every day for about 10 minutes in morning and ten minutes in the evening until the seeds sprouted. Then every 3 days or so, depending on the heat of the summer. I planted them the first part of June, I know I was late planting but that’s the time I got around to plant. I’m just beginning to harvest them in late July.
They have been very easy to take care of no bugs or disease so far and my green bush beans are planted next to them and are attaching themselves to my fava bean plants.
Fava beans taste like green peas and are yummy in salads, dips and roasted.
See below how to remove skins or casings on the fava beans.
Below are to methods of removing the skins or casings on the fava beans. I found the blanching method to be the fastest and easiest.
Blanching Fava Beans
In a sauce pot filled with enough water to cover your fava beans (fava beans removed from pods). Then on medium heat bring them to a boil for 2-3 minutes and try to remove skin on one fava bean, if the skin doesn’t remove easily cook another minute or so…
Drain the water or use a spider strainer (Bambo Skimmer) to scoop out the beans, place them in a bowl of ice water to cool them down quickly and then remove their skins and discard skins. Use them in salads, humus type dip or soups and etc…
Tip: Freeze blanched fava beans in the freezer in a labeled/dated pint size freezer bag filled 3/4 full with air removed from filled bags. (I use a straw for removing the air in the filled bags) use them within 6 months to a year.
Flash Freezing Fava Beans
Remove fava beans from their pods and place on a quarter baking sheet and place them in the freezer for 30- 40 minutes. Then remove them from the freeze and allow them to thaw about 10-15 minutes. Then remove the outer skin, use in recipes like salads, soups, roasted or enjoy eating them fresh or smashed making a fava type humus dip for breads, crackers and…
Happy Gardening!
Lindy
