Fava Bean Salad

When picked young, shelled fava beans are tender and can be enjoyed simply sautéed in a little olive oil or tossed into a pasta salad. Larger beans take a little more work: Remove and discard the outer shell and drop the beans into a saucepan of boiling water. Blanch for a couple of minutes, drain, and immerse the beans in ice water to help preserve the bright green color. Drain again and slip the skin off each bean. This is where the labor of love comes in, but if you pinch open the skin on the end opposite where the bean connected to the pod and then squeeze the bean, the skin should slip right off.