Steak and Israeli Couscous and Smashed Beans on Toast

Just a typical grilled steak, on a bed of Israeli couscous, follow box instructions for the couscous cook with chicken broth instead of water, add a bay leaf, and at the end I added some fresh red bell pepper and zucchini from my CSA bag. Beautiful, tasty, and the fresh veg at the end added a very nice crunch. This is only the second time I have had the bigger couscous but both times we have had it Brian and I oh and ah over how tasty it is!

To add to this meal we had what Jamie Oliver calls "Posh Beans on Toast" it is a mash of fresh fava beans and fresh peas with a little bit of mint, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. It is served on crostini with some mozzarella, I however didn't have fresh mozzarella so I used goat cheese which I did have. It was absolutely delicious. It is bright green, tastes like summer with a pop of flavor from the lemon juice and mint.

Smashed Fava Beans on Toast 
5 oz shelled fresh peas
9 oz shelled fresh fava beans
3-4 leaves of fresh mint (I have orange mint growing in abundance in my backyard that is what I used)\
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
2 tsp lemon juice
Crusty Bread
Garlic
Goat Cheese
1. In food processor whiz up the peas, beans, mint, salt and pepper. Add in cheese and lemon juice, and slowly drizzle in olive oil till it is a thick consistency but somewhat loose. Taste! If you want more mint, salt and pepper or lemon juice add to taste.
2. Grill bread, once grilled use a clove of garlic and swipe it a few times over the top of the bread (2-3 max swipes).
3. Spread some goat cheese on toast (use goat cheese to your desire, I liked a lot my husband a little depends on how much tanginess of the goat cheese you want to taste over the freshness of the peas), and then top with the bean mixture. Enjoy!

Fava Bean, to Love or Not to Love? That is the Question...

So every Tuesday I anxiously await news about what will be arriving in my CSA bag (CSA stands for community supported agriculture click here to find some in your area) I have found that it is a bag of surprisingly fun adventure every week. While it is a struggle sometimes to pay the hefty price tag at the beginning, that is usually done months before your first bag arrives and as such I have found that I feel like I get all this great organic produce for free! So this week, AWESOME! A pint of delicious blueberries, gone three hours after arrival. And a pint of the last of the seasons strawberries. Molly loves her fruit, she ate a ton of those blueberries, I like to call it brain food, and a lot of strawberries. I wish I had a flip camera to inbed a video of her saying strawberries it is about the cutest thing you have ever heard, well next to the way she pronounces bacon, she says, "macon." So cute! Also three kohlrabi, a veggie popular in Europe and not too well known here in the states, although it is gaining in popularity I see it constantly at the Farmer's Markets, and my CSA farmers have mentioned that it is the most requested veggie from their patrons. Another head of cabbage, I have it coming out of my ears right now and am seriously considering making my own kraut crock, regardless of the smell! A head of red leaf lettuce, and a ton of fava beans at the bottom of the bag (ALSO, plants! A zucchini plant, pumpkin plant, summer squash plant, thyme plant, arugula plant... they had a ton of dwarf dahlia plants and others but I didn't want to seem too stingy at the truck, although now in hindsight I should have taken more!)

I knew we were getting the fava beans so I had already planned to have a carbonara (I had leftover bacon that needed to be used as well) however I will say that as I started the LONG process of "processing" the fava beans and the thermometer in the house kept on rising I started to rethink doing pasta in an already hot house. Thankfully I am a wicked quick cook, I was able to get it done without raising the temp too much. I sort of followed the recipe for Spaghetti a la Carbonara by Anne Burrell so here it is off the top of my head:

1 lb pasta

1 cup or more fava beans (depends on how much effort you want to put in, but if you have a cool spot to sit some music or TV you might be good to go- otherwise you could also substitute edamame)

6-8 slices of bacon
6 eggs
1 cup pecorino romano cheese (grated)
Salt (to salt the water for the pasta)
Pepper (used generously in egg sauce)
3 scallions (cut on a severe bias)

1. Start well salted water to boil first, and boil pasta to desired doneness. Most Italian recipes ask for al dente but my husband hates it al dente, so we tend to "overcook" our pasta in this house. Right before the pasta is completely done put "shelled" fava beans in the pasta water, I used a strainer so the fava beans stayed contained. Cook the fava beans for about two minutes and then remove.
2. While pasta is cooking cut bacon into "lardons" or bite sized pieces and cook until brown in a deep saute pan, I say deep because you need to toss the pasta in the pan later.
3. In a separate bowl mix eggs and cheese together until they are completely combined. Then add a copious amount of pepper... when you think you have added too much, add a little more.
4. Toss pasta into the saute pan straight from the boiling water, mix them with the bacon (and leftover fat... this isn't something you want to have a lot of, or all the time) toss in the fava beans and then on medium high heat pour in the eggs stirring vigorously for a couple minutes, you want to cook the eggs but stop just short of scrambled eggs (this is a fine line so be careful)!
5. Serve immediately and top with scallions.