Habas (Fava Beans) con Chorizo

During the four years we lived in Spain, we never had fava beans, but we came across this dish in a Spanish restaurant in Poland recently.  I liked the combination of flavors and textures; I just wish the restaurant had taken the time to remove the tough peel from the beans.  It greatly improves the texture and lets the bright green color shine.

Ingredients

2 cups fava beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
chorizo, sliced
2 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

• Boil the beans in salted water until tender, 5 – 10 minutes.  Drain
• Using a sharp knife, make a small slit in the skin of each bean; peel and discard the skin
• Add oil and garlic to a frying pan and cook over medium-high heat until the chorizo begins to flavor the oil
• Add garlic, continue cooking for a couple of minutes
• Add peeled fava beans and reduce heat to medium, continue to cook 3 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally