Fava bean, potato and chicory pur‚e

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Peeled and split
Dried mini-fava beans (5oz)
Rinsed and drained
⅓ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
2 mediums Idaho or Yukon Gold
Potatoes (14oz)
Peeled, thickly sliced
Salt and pepper
½ pounds Wild chicory or watercress
Stems trimmed

Directions

1. Put the fava beans in a large saucepan. Add 5 cups water and 1 tbs oil and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover partially and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook over moderately high heat until both are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes. Season with ¬ tsp salt.

2. Meanwhile, rinse and shred the greens. Place them in a nonreactive saucepan with the water still clinging to the leaves. Add a pinch of salt, cover and cook over moderately high heat, tilting the pan occasionally to drain off the bitter liquid. When the leaves are dry, add ⅓ cup of water and cook, uncovered, stirring until the greens are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Transfer the greens to a mortar and crush to a coarse pur‚e; reserve any cooking liquid.

3. Work the beans and potatoes through the fine disk of a food mill or mash by hand. Beat in just enough of the cooking liquid to make a smooth and fluffy pur‚e. Gradually beat in the remaining olive oil and then the crushed greens. Season with salt and white pepper. Mound the pur‚e on a shallow serving dish and serve warm. Do not reheat.

Fine Cooking November 1995

Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 11-01-95

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