Moroccan Fava Bean Soup

 
I bought some dried, shelled fava beans and there they sat in my pantry for , oh, I don't know, nine months.  I bought more, not thinking I already had some.  Feeling guilty and wondering why I can not remember what is my pantry... Could it be that I have many dried beans... too many dried beans.  Anyway- time to use them.

This recipe really sounded good and am happy to report it really was good.  I had a cup of it for lunch the other day with a teaspoon of olive oil drizzled into it- delicious. 200 calories.  I ate banana yogurt mixed with applesauce after I ate the soup.  Boy did I feel so proud of myself for having sucha wholesome meal.  The whole meal 350 calories and it was so good.

I did skip the sautéing part of the recipe since I had to cook the dried beans anyhow- I just started adding things to the pot. I would love to try this recipe again with fresh fava's I am sure it would be even more stellar.

Moroccan Fava Bean Soup
You can find the original recipe here at the NYTimes.The recipe is from
Martha Rose Shulman who is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”  It was my starting point.
Printable recipe here.

1 pound dried fava beans or 1/2 pound frozen double-peeled (2 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium or large carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery ribs, diced
4 cloves garlic
1 small potato (about 4 ounces), peeled and diced
2 quarts water, vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 teaspoons Lawry's salt
2 teaspoons sumac
A bouquet garni made with a couple of sprigs of parsley, a bay leaf and several sprigs of cilantro
freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 cup chopped cilantro plus additional leaves for garnish


Soak beans overnight.  Drain and place the beans in a soup pot.  Add enough water to cover the beans by about four inches.  Add in salt, garlic, pepper and onion.  Cook covered on low simmer for about 40 minutes until beans are tender.  Add in the carrots, celery, potato, salt, sumac, bouquet garni, pepper and turmeric. Cook for about 30 minutes.  Remove bouquet garni and puree the soup in a blender.  Spoon into serving bowls.  Sprinkle with cilantro and drizzle with olive oil.



If you want to make your own seasoned salt- which I will when I finish the bottle of Lawry's, combine the following:

2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch