Fava Bean Pure with Lemon Creme Fraiche and Niman Ranch Speck Ham

RH Staff

2004 Rising Stars

Executive chef Melissa K. Perello,
Charles Nob Hill, San Francisco

Yield: 6 servings.

1/4 lb. butter
1 small onion, sliced
3 cups fresh fava beans (shucked from their pods)
3 cups chicken stock, boiling
to taste, salt and pepper
3 oz. creme fraiche (can substitute sour cream)
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 lemon, zest only, minced
to taste, salt and white pepper
6 thin slices of Niman Ranch Speck Ham (can substitute prosciutto)

Bring a large pot of boiling salted water (approximately 1 cup of kosher salt per 5 cups of water) to a full rapid boil. Add the shucked fava beans and blanch for four minutes. Remove beans and shock in iced water until cool. Drain and peel and discard outer husks from fava beans. Reserve the green fleshy beans.

Melt half the butter in a small pot and add onions. Sweat onions until translucent. Add fava beans and chicken stock and bring to a boil. In a blender, blend this mixture in small batches until smooth, adding remainder of butter in small bits. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a fine sieve. Combine creme fraiche, lemon juice and zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Whip in a mixer until stiff. Ladle soup into 6 bowls. Spoon one dollop of creme fraiche per bowl. Garnish with julienne or dice of Speck Ham.

Sponsored by Nestlè Food Services
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