A sprout of springtime

You might eat them with a nice Chianti and a census taker’s liver, as Hannibal Lecter did in Silence of the Lambs. But fava beans are also a vegetarian’s delight, packing in protein while tasting sweetly of grass and springtime. Blanch the beans in boiling water for 90 seconds to easily remove them from their skin. Then add them to an avocado mash or dip to make that ’cado toast more filling, sprinkle them on a salad to give it some heft or enjoy them alone after steaming and tossing with oil, salt and lemon juice and paired with chardonnay—hold the Chianti.