18 October Maria, our neighbor arrived on our doorstep once again today. This time, she had a special knife in her hand for peeling fave. I was pleased that I had the quince she gave me cleaned and stewing with lemon on the stove. Vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar were purchased and ready to be added to the pot. Some concern that I was not doing it the Maria way but at least she would know that her new charge was making a valiant attempt! She made herself right at home and started giving Keith directions (this pleased me greatly) on how to peel the shell off the beans. Fave come snuggly encased in a tough brittle skin. Marias rheumatic thumb is permanently curved out from its joint. This, she indicated is from peeling fave. And isnt there a machine to do this? You might ask and I wondered. Certainly, there is not a room full of little Italian ladies shelling the millions of fave beans spilling from large sacks in markets or neatly bagged in all the groceries in Puglia. Fave are a staple here and are dearly loved. For Maria, not peeling your own would be sacrilege. So, Keith respectfully attempted to peel fave will Maria was in the room and then, when she left, quickly suggested that we buy some peeled at the market and cook them tomorrow. A small deception to save Keith hands and Marias heart. But, I sat down and started peeling... There is a meditation in taking the time to know every bean. A communing with the earth bringing back the memory of how much our blessed pachamama gives to us and how little she asks for in return. Knowing our food every step of the way - from source to plate - does give a strong sense of connectedness and a love for our dance with nature. Last night I put the peeled beans (2-3 cups) in a pot to soak through the night, and this morning I flicked on the burner to let them simmer into a lucious, smooth and buttery cream. It took hours. Halfway through the process (about an hour) I added a large clove of garlic that I sliced and a about 1/2 - 1 tsp of course salt. When the water had reduced significantly I let the mixture cool and passed it all through this sieve (photo below), added about 1/4 - 1/2 cup EV olive oil, and juice of a lemon. If I had some thyme, I think a touch would be a wonderful addition. Also think a sundried tomatoe glaze on the plate would be great. Will try this next time!
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 13:06:32 +0000
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