Dear Mother Nature,
You’re sending us mixed signals over here. Yesterday, you were all 80 degrees and sunny. Today, it’s 65, and the skies are on the verge of tears. It feels a little bit like you’re toying with our emotions, or at least our taste buds.
Because we seem to be stuck in seasonal limbo, our taste buds and cravings are being taken for a bit of a ride. On warmer days, nothing sounds better than a salad. On gloomy days, salad sounds unseasonably light, and a hearty soup seems more palatable.
For now, we’ll cater to your flip-flopiness by turning to this lentil fava stew/salad (it’s amazing served warm as a stew or chilled as a salad topper) - but, really, it’s May, and we’d appreciate some consistent warm weather.
Sincerely,
Bari

Lentil Fava Stew/Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dried lentils
  • 1.5 cups shelled fava beans
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1.5 cups minced red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon five spice

Directions:

  • Place lentils in a saucepan, and cover with water (enough to be above the lentils by two inches). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • For the fava beans, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the fava beans and blanch for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. When cool, pinch open the pale green skin and pop out the inner fava beans.
  • Heat oil and saute onion, garlic and tomatoes, until onion is translucent.
  • Stir in lentils, fava beans and remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat for another five minutes. Serve warm or chilled.