Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

for the Skagit Valley in the Pacifi c Northwest,
where both mature at the same time.
SERVES 4

1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cups fresh baby fava beans
3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
(see page 288)
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium­
high. Sauté the onions 2 minutes. Stir in the
carrots and beans. Pour in the stock, bring to a
boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
until the carrots are tender.
Add the spinach, salt, and black pepper, and
simmer 5 minutes longer.

Per serving : 120 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat,
31 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 6 g dietary fi ber, 327
mg sodium. Exchanges: 1½ Starch, 1 Lean Meat, 2
Vegetable

FAVA BEAN SOUP

When the fava beans are full and ready, this is
the perfect way to celebrate their arrival. It’s
an early-summer gardener’s celebration! If the
beans are young, they can be cooked as is.
Later on, their pale leathery jackets will need

to be removed; just pinch at the “bar” end to

remove the tender green beans.

SERVES 6

1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil

½ pound sweet onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, bashed and sliced

1 cup chopped fennel bulb or celery

1 (10.75-ounce) can tomato puree

1 quart water

Bouquet garni (recipe follows)

1 pound shucked fresh fava beans or 1

(19-ounce) can, drained

2 cups finely chopped tightly packed stemmed

mustard greens

1 pound plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and

chopped

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over

medium-high. Sauté the onions and garlic

3  minutes. Add the fennel or celery, tomato

puree, and water. Bring to a boil, drop in the

bouquet garni and beans, and simmer 5 minutes.

Add the mustard greens and tomatoes, black

pepper, and salt. Simmer 4 more minutes. Re­

move the bouquet garni. If using fennel, chop

1 tablespoon of the tender fennel tops (“feath­

ers”) and scatter over the top; if using celery,

finely chop some leaves as a garnish.

Bouquet Garni

2 bay leaves

6 sprigs parsley

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3-inch rib of celery

FAVA BEAN • 147