Do you know what a fava bean is? For most people, mentioning fava beans doesn't bring to mind a legume, but rather the movie Silence of the Lambs. According to the movie, fava beans pair nicely with liver and a Chianti wine. But there is a rich history and flavor to the fava bean.

In Europe, fava beans are the original legume. Until America was discovered, fava beans were the only beans eaten in Europe. Unfortunately, when they were brought to the New World, the legume never really found a place in the American diet. But with a sweet, nutty flavor and buttery texture, the fava bean is the perfect ingredient to celebrate spring.

It is believed that the fava beans originated in North Africa or China. And archeologists believe that the fava became a part of the Mediterranean diet over 6,000 years ago, in part because the plant is easy to grow.

The flower of the fava bean plant contains black spots, an rarity in nature. Because of the black speckling, the beans were associated with the dead in the ancient world. In ancient Greece, the beans were used in sacrifices in the temples of Apollo.

To eat fava beans in the pod or raw, choose young whole pods that are 2- to 3-inches long. The smaller the pod, the sweeter the bean will be in flavor. To check for freshness, open a pod and look at the white, downy lining. If these lining is dried or discolored pass on the favas; the freshest beans will have a moist lining.

More mature beans will grow up to 18 inches long. The older the bean the more bitter and tannic in flavor.

Choose pods that are bright green and unblemished. Pods should be firm and evenly developed, avoid limp or withered pods. As favas mature, the pod will turn yellowish-green and the pods will be lumpy. The most mature bean pods will be yellow in color. These oldest beans are the most bitter.

Fava beans can be found canned, fresh, frozen or dried. The canned and frozen varieties are typically ready to be used in recipes. The dried favas require soaking to prepare. The fresh fava beans require a little more prep work.

Immature, or baby, fava beans in the pod can be eaten whole like green beans or snap peas. Larger pods need to be shelled and cleaned. Once the pod is removed, mature beans also have a second skin. While the second skin is edible, it is very fibrous and can add to the tannic flavor of mature beans. For the best flavor, the second skin should be removed prior to cooking.

• First, remove the beans from the pods (much like you would when shelling peas) by running a finger up the seam of the pod, splitting it open and removing the beans. There are about 4 to 5 beans per pod.
• At this point, you will notice that the bean has a thick white-ish skin around it, which also needs to be peeled off. (Some people say that you can cook and eat the bean with the skin on, as long as it's really cooked through. Others feel that this takes away from the delicate flavor of the bean. Overall, it's more common to peel the second skin.)
• To remove the second skin, there are two different methods. The first is to make a small slit with a knife along the edge of the bean to pop the bean out of its skin.
• The alternate, and more popular, method is to put the fava beans in boiling salted water to blanch for 30 seconds. Remove the beans from the boiling water and submerge them in ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. This step softens the second skin, making it easier to remove.
• With your fingers, squeeze the bean out from its skin.
• Now, you can use the beans as directed in any recipe of your choice.3

Unshelled fava beans will keep in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or paper sack for about 10 days. Dried shelled fava beans can be stored in a cool, dry place for 10 to 12 months.

1 pound of beans in pod will yield roughly 1/3 cup of shelled fava beans.

Fresh or dried fava beans can be cooked with or without their skin. Fresh beans should cook for about 20 minutes. Whole dried beans should cook for about 2-1/2 hours. Skinned dried beans that have soaked for 8 to 12 hours will cook in about 1-1/2 hours.

Serve raw favas with coarse salt, pepper, and olive oil. Fava beans go well with bacon, broccoli rabe, chiles, cilantro, cumin, curry, duck, garlic, ham, mustard greens, onions, oregano, sage, shallots, smoked turkey, thyme, and tomatoes.

1 cup of boiled fava beans contains

• 187 calories
• 33 grams carbohydrates
• 1 gram of fat
• 9 grams dietary fiber
• 13 grams protein
• 44% DV folate
• 36% DV manganese
• 22% DV Copper

Note: Eating fava beans or inhaling fava pollen can have a potentially fatal affect on some people of southern European ancestry because of a hereditary disorder called Favism. The symptoms include muscle weakness and paralysis.

• The fava bean is also known as broad bean, horse bean, field bean, English bean or Windsor bean.
• The fava was the only bean eaten in Europe, until the New World was discovered, with its wealth of legumes.
• Fava bean look like overgrown pea pods, and have a second inner skin that should be removed before eating.
• The smallest bean pods are the sweetest in flavor.
• Larger, mature fava pods will develop a tannic, bitter flavor.
• Fava beans are a dietary staple in European, Asian, North African, and Middle East.
• In ancient Greece, fava beans with used in voting—a white bean for yes, a black bean for no.
• Because the flower of the bean plant has black spots, black being a rare color in nature and being associated with death in the ancient world, they were often considered "food of the dead" and used in sacrifices to Apollo in ancient Greece.
• There is a hereditary condition, Favism, which causes a severe allergic-like reaction to fava beans that can be fatal.
• According to tradition, the fava bean once kept the Sicilian population from starvation during a famine.
• According to European folklore, planning the fava bean on Good Friday will bring good luck.

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