Fava Bean Dip with Goat Cheese and Garlic

1. Stage

Remove the outer shell of the fava beans: Remove the outer shell from the fava beans. The easiest way to do this is to work over a large bowl, bend the fava bean pod near one of the beans, squeeze the bean with your fingers, to have it shoot out into the bowl when the bean snaps. Keep squeezing, pinching and snapping, until you've de-beaned all the pods.

2. Stage

Boil the beans in salted water: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the shelled beans, simmer for 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove beans from the hot water and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and to shock the beans into maintaining their bright green color.

3. Stage

Remove the beans' outer peels: When the beans have sunk to the bottom of the bowl of ice water, fish them out and remove and discard the outer peel.

4. Stage

Sauté the garlic: In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium. Add the chopped green garlic (or chopped regular garlic cloves) and cook until softened, but not browned, about 3 or 4 minutes.

5. Stage

Purée shelled beans with garlic, zest, lemon juice, water, olive oil: Place shelled and peeled beans in a food processor with softened green garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and water. Pulse until smooth. Stream in a tablespoon or two more of olive oil while puréeing.

6. Stage

Stir in goat cheese: Scrape mixture out of food processor into a bowl. Mix in the goat cheese until well combined. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with sliced cucumbers or jicama. Links: Working with fresh fava beans - a great tutorial from Hank Shaw Edamame Avocado Dip here on Simply Recipes