Fava Bean Pesto with Romaine (Serves 4)

~ From Bounty from the Box: The CSA Farm Cookbook, by Mi Ae Lipe

Author Note: This recipe is unusual in a couple of ways; instead of a pesto based on basil, this one relies on fava beans and green garlic. And the romaine lettuce is cooked briefly—on the grill. It’s a lovely dish to serve with steak or chicken, as long as you have the grill going.

Ingredients

1 bunch green garlic scapes

1 cup fresh fava beans, shelled, blanched, and peeled

1⁄4 cup olive oil

Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 head romaine lettuce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the garlic scapes on a cookie sheet with a little bit of oil and roast for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool.

2. Once the scapes have cooled, place all of the ingredients except the romaine lettuce into a food processor and pulse until the mixture forms a smooth puree. Set aside.

3. Cut the head of romaine into 4 long wedges. Drizzle the cut sides of the wedges with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

4. Grill the romaine over a hot fire, cut side down, until it is charred in spots, about 20 seconds. Turn the romaine over and grill for 20 seconds longer.

5. Transfer the romaine wedges to a platter, cut side up, and drizzle the fava bean pesto over them.

— Karolina Tracz, Nash’s Organic Produce, Sequim, Washington