This summery soup is made with fresh fava beans which are in season right now. It also makes use of those peppery radish leaves which all too often get tossed in to the compost bucket.
Fresh Fava Bean Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
3 pounds fresh fava beans
The leaves from a bunch of radishes or arugula
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 small new potatoes, peeled and diced
10 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Set Sun Oven out to preheat.
In a large pot, combine the olive oil, onions, and leek. Cover and place in the Sun Oven until the onion have softened, about 20 minutes. While the onion mixture is cooking, shell the fava beans and thoroughly wash the radish leaves. Remove the pot from the Sun Oven (leave the oven out) and stir in the shelled fava beans, radish leaves, garlic, potatoes, and water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and return the pot to the Sun Oven. Cook until the fava beans are tender, about 1 hour. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot. Serve with croutons or toasted bread.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
