Sauteed Fava Beans

Simple sautéed fava beans are a lovely, super spring-y side dish. I find that they are particularly delicious alongside chicken or egg dishes, but don't feel limited by my tastes. Look for fava beans with plump pods that have just started to turn shiny—you want that sweet spot between super-young favas with beans so tiny it will take forever to prep them, and older pods with beans that have started to turn a tad starchy.

As always when making fava beans, one must ask oneself: Is it really worth the hassle of double-shelling them? Why go to all this trouble of shelling the beans out of the fat pods, briefly boiling the beans, and then removing the shell of each individual fava bean? Well, those shells tend to have a bitter, tannic edge and removing them reveals a remarkably sweet and nutty (not to mention bright green!) bean inside. In the case of this recipe, where the sweet tenderness is of the essence and the unique flavor of the shelled fava beans really shines through, I think it's worth the prep work. If you have fava beans on hand, though, and just can't face the double-shelling, check out these No-Shell Fava Bean recipes, all of which cook the beans, pod and all (yes, the pods are edible when cooked properly!).