GO AWESOME BLUE!!! After last night's delicious win, we stopped at the Produce Station for celebration supplies. Could this day get any better? Yes! Fava beans were piled high in a basket. I dared not blink my eyes for fear they would vanish! My experience with shopping for these lovely elusive beans, is they vanish from stores at the moment I'm ready to cook with them. The favas dart in and out of the Farmer's Market, like fireflies, in spring. They disappeared for a while but have suddenly reappeared at the Produce Station. Catch them while you can!

Many bean dips are marvelous because they take so little time to make. And If you’re looking for a quick bean dip or spread, substitute canned cannelini beans for the fava beans in this recipe. But if you want a bean spread with an inimitable, meaty taste, sublime texture and stunning lime sorbet color, you may find it worth the effort to shell the fava. I certainly do. Besides, the favas are so fleeting--a whisper, whoosh, then gone!

Fava beans require a two-step preparation for cooking. They must first be shucked from their pods. To shuck, I snap off the tough ends and pull away the string on the side of the pod. Or use your thumbs to break open the pod and strip out the beans from inside.

To skin them, drop them first into boiling water for one minute, to tenderize and loosen the skins. Drain and immediately plunge them into ice water. When they are

cool, drain them again. Use your thumbnail to break open the skin, and squeeze the bean between the thumb and forefinger of your other hand; the bright green kidney-shaped bean will pop out. Now they are ready to be used in your favorite recipes. For bean dips I use a variation of a favorite Mark Bittman recipe which purées canned cannellini beans with rosemary and lemon.

My favorite way to enjoy the fava is puréed, seasoned, then spread on grilled bread. I've also added the purée to risottos creating a lovely palate and sublime flavor. Of course you can leave the beans whole and add them to salads or an antipasto. Many recipes call for simmering the beans to further tenderize them after peeling. I like the flavor after that quick blanch, straight from the pod. However taste the beans and decide for yourself.

Bruschetta (Italian crunchy toasts) are crostini's big brother and make a nice supper, especially when served cozied up to a bowl of soup. I've loved serving this recipe on the smaller crostini as an appetizer. When I do that, I prefer baking the crostini until crispy in a 400Ëšoven. It's too much trouble grilling all the small bread slices!

Yield: 6-8 bruchetta or 18-24 crostini Cost: apx. $12.50 Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups prepared fava beans (review above second and third paragraphs. Note 2# of whole favas yield about 2 cups shucked beans) 1 teaspoon minced garlic plus two large cloves of garlic, halved 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, plus extra sprigs for garnish Finely chopped zest and juice from 1/2-1 lemon 1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 6-8 slices of freshly baked Italian-styled artisan bread Shaved Parmigianno Reggiano

Directions 1. Put the beans in the container of a food processor with teaspoon minced garlic, rosemary and zest and juice from 1/2 lemon. Turn the machine on, and add 1/2 cup olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until the mixture is smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and additional lemon zest and juice if desired. Scrape bean mixture from processor bowl and reserve. 2. Prepare gas or charcoal grill to medium high heat. Rub cut side of garlic cloves over each side of bread. Brush both sides of bread with remaining olive oil and grill until toasty, about 7 minutes per side. 3. Let bread cool slightly then divide and spread fava purée over each slice. Garnish with shaved Parmesan, rosemary sprigs then serve.